Engineering Immunomodulatory Biomaterials to Drive Skin Wounds Toward Regenerative Healing

September 2022 in “ Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Biology ”

Sergei Butenko, Hiromi Miwa, Yingzi Liu, Maksim V. Plikus, Phillip Scumpia, Wendy F. Liu

immune system skin repair regenerative healing fibroproliferative response inflammation chronic nonhealing wounds tissue fibrosis immune cell activities biomaterial dressings immunomodulatory elements

Studysummary This review discusses the immune system's role in skin repair and regeneration, highlighting how biomaterials could potentially enhance fully functional skin regeneration through immunomodulatory mechanisms, but reports no new results. Our plain-language summary of this paper — not a Tressless recommendation.

The document reviewed the role of the immune system in skin repair and regeneration, highlighting that traditional wound healing often leads to scarring due to a rapid fibroproliferative response. It discussed how excessive inflammation can result in chronic nonhealing wounds or uncontrolled tissue fibrosis. The review emphasized the potential of controlling immune cell activities to reduce scars and enhance regeneration. It noted that biomaterial dressings, which interact directly with immune cells, have shown promise in improving the repair process and, in some cases, inducing complete regeneration. Advances in biomaterial research were suggested to potentially uncover immunomodulatory elements that could lead to fully functional skin regeneration.

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