The Cutaneous Inflammatory Response to Thermal Burn Injury in a Murine Model

The study used a murine model to investigate the inflammatory response to thermal burn injuries, focusing on scarring, inflammatory cell dynamics, and gene expression. Partial-thickness burns in C57Bl/6 mice healed within 2 weeks, with an immediate increase in pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, followed by changes in immune cell populations, including neutrophils, macrophages, and dendritic cells. Over 10 weeks, scars increased in size and thickness, but abnormal collagen ratios and macrophage populations resolved 3-4 weeks post-closure. The model provided insights into burn healing and scarring, aiding future studies and preclinical testing of therapies, although it did not replicate systemic inflammation and persistent scarring seen in humans. The study involved 8 mice for burn healing and scarring analysis, and 6 mice for inflammatory cell population profiling.