Investigating the diseased extracellular matrix in fibrotic scars

Brian Stramer (primary)
Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics
King's College London
Tanya Shaw (secondary)
CIBCI
Kings College London

Abstract

Keloids are a pathological healing response that result in scars that overgrow the boundary of the initial wound area with no known cause or cure. Our lack of understanding is due to an insufficient framework to study this phenomenon; there is no animal model that mimics the disease and research relies on primary clinical samples from individual patients, which slows the pace of research. This project aims to develop an in vitro model of scarring, characterising the altered composition and mechanics of the extracellular matrix, in order to elucidate causes of and treatments for the disease.


References

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Verhaegen PD, van Zuijlen PP, Pennings NM, van Marle J, Niessen FB, van der Horst CM, et al. Differences in collagen architecture between keloid, hypertrophic scar, normotrophic scar, and normal skin: An objective histopathological analysis. Wound Repair Regen. 2009;17(5):649-56.
Calvo F, Ege N, Grande-Garcia A, Hooper S, Jenkins RP, Chaudhry SI, et al. Mechanotransduction and YAP-dependent matrix remodelling is required for the generation and maintenance of cancer-associated fibroblasts. Nature Cell Biology. 2013;15(6):637-+.
Duclos G, Garcia S, Yevick HG, Silberzan P. Perfect nematic order in confined monolayers of spindle-shaped cells. Soft Matter. 2014;10(14):2346-53.


BBSRC Area
Animal disease, health and welfareGenes, development and STEM* approaches to biology
Area of Biology
Cell Biology
Techniques & Approaches
BiochemistryBiophysicsImage ProcessingMicroscopy / Electrophysiology