Scratch-induced partial skin wounds re-epithelialize by sheets of independently migrating keratinocytes.

ABSTRACT: Re-epithelialization is a crucial process to reestablish the protective barrier upon wounding of the skin. Although this process is well described for wounds where the complete epidermis and dermis is damaged, little is known about the re-epithelialization strategy in more frequently occurring smaller scratch wounds in which structures such as the hair follicles and sweat glands stay intact. To study this, we established a scratch wound model to follow individual keratinocytes in all epidermal layers in the back skin of mice by intravital microscopy. We discover that keratinocytes adopt a re-epithelialization strategy that enables them to bypass immobile obstacles such as hair follicles. Wound-induced cell loss is replenished by proliferation in a distinct zone away from the wound and this

SUBMITTER: Bornes L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7723264 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature