Cultured keratinocytes on urinary bladder matrix scaffolds increase angiogenesis and help in rapid healing of wounds.

INTRODUCTION: Urinary Bladder Matrix (UBM) is an extracellular matrix (ECM) scaffold. It is now used in wound care management of partial and full-thickness wounds where conventional methods for wound care usually fail to give satisfactory results.

OBJECTIVE: In this study, the authors are comparing the healing of full-thickness excisional wounds in New Zealand rabbits using either UBM scaffolds alone or in combination with cultured keratinocytes. The wounds were compared grossly and histologically.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: It is a comparative controlled study including 40 full-thickness wounds in 2 groups. Group (A) wounds: treated with UBM scaffolds, Group (B) wounds: treated with UBM scaffolds with cultured keratinocytes. The wounds were examined grossly after 1, 2, and 3 weeks, and were examined histologically at the end of the 3rd week using ordinary hematoxylin-eosin staining techniques.

RESULTS: All the wounds healed completely by the end of the 3rd week. Early wound contraction was significantly less in group B. More angiogenic response was evident in all specimens of group B.

CONCLUSION: This study shows that adding cultured keratinocytes to the rough surface of the UBM scaffold may be beneficial in reducing early wound contraction and improving wound vascularity in treatment of full-thickness wounds.