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African Journal of Biochemistry Research Vol.
1 (4), 060-071, September 2007
© 2007 Academic Journals
Full Length Research Paper
Biological responses of injured human
skin fibroblasts to assess the efficacy of in vitro models for cell
stress studies
Innocent Lutho Zungu, Denise Hawkins Evans, Nicolette Houreld and
Heidi Abrahamse*
Laser Research Group, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of
Johannesburg, P.O. Box 17011, Doornfontein, Johannesburg, South Africa,
2028, South Africa.
*Corresponding author. E-mail:
habrahamse@uj.ac.za. Tel. +27 11 559-6550. Fax. +27 11
559-6558.
Accepted 31st August, 2007 |
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Abstract |
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The classical
central scratch method has been used to successfully induce a wound
environment however this model has been criticized. This study aimed to
compare the cellular responses of normal fibroblast cells with those of
wounded, diabetic wounded, acidic and hypoxic cells to determine if the
latter two models are more effective in inducing an injured environment
than the central scratch method. The cellular responses that were
evaluated included; cell morphology, viability, proliferation,
cytotoxicity and DNA damage. The results from this study showed that the
biochemical tests were sensitive enough to distinguish changes between
normal and wounded, diabetic wounded, acidic and hypoxic cells. Wounded
cells showed a decrease in ATP viability, increase in caspase 3/7
activity, increase in proliferation and increase in cytotoxicity and DNA
damage when compared to normal cells. This study confirmed that although
a central scratch method only wounds 5 - 10% of the surface cells it was
sufficient to successfully induce a wound environment in vitro.
The results suggest that the in vitro models may not only be used
to study wound healing but also cellular responses related to other
pathological conditions such as heart attack, stroke, diabetes and
biological or biochemical changes in response to treatment such as laser
therapy otherwise known as phototherapy.
Key words:
Acidosis,
diabetic, fibroblasts, hypoxia, injury, wounds. |
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