Effects of TGFβ2on Collagen Synthesis in Cultured Normal and Wounded Fetal Mouse Palates

Abstract

Abstract Objective: It has been demonstrated in a number of models that fetal wounds heal with little or no scar. Since collagen is an integral part of the extracellular matrix in adult scar formation, we studied the synthesis and localization of collagen in an in vitro mouse palate model for fetal wound healing. Methods: Palates, dissected from fetal mice at 15, 16, and 17 days of gestation and from newborn mice, were cultured in medium containing serum (for 8 hours); this was followed by culture in serum-free medium (for 12 hours). One-half of the samples from each age group were wounded in the midline. All samples were placed in serum-free medium containing 20 μCl/mL 3H-proline for 8 hours. In addition, palates from 15-day gestation and from newborn mice were also incubated with transforming growth factor TGFβ2 (10 ng/mL). Palates were washed with saline, homogenized, and radioactivity was counted. Proline uptake was calculated for each sample as counts per milligram of protein and was subjected to sta...