Three-Dimensional Culture of Dermal Papilla Cells Improves Their In Vitro Angiogenic Activity

The study demonstrates that three-dimensional culture of dermal papilla cells (DPCs) enhances their angiogenic capabilities in vitro. Culturing DPCs as spheres increases the expression of angiogenic genes such as VEGF, angiogenin, and FGF, which are crucial for vascularization. The researchers used two angiogenic study models to compare the ability of monolayer and sphere cultures of DPC to promote endothelial cell migration and neovessel development. The results showed increased HUVEC migration and an increase in the total number of segments, joints, and networks, which are characteristic hallmarks of angiogenesis, when HUVEC were seeded in spheres conditioned media. This suggests that the use of DPC spheres in skin substitutes may enhance the vascularization of grafts, thereby improving wound healing and graft take.