Interleukin-10 and Hyaluronan are Essential to the Fetal Fibroblast Functional Phenotype

Abstract

Mid-gestational fetal wounds heal regeneratively with high levels of hyaluronan (HA) produced by fetal fibroblasts (FFb). FFb have distinct cellular functions compared to adult fibroblasts (AFb). We have previously shown an important role for IL-10 in fetal regenerative tissue repair with elevated levels in fetal skin, the ability to induce fetal HA-rich pericellular matrix (PCM) deposition in AFB, and the ability to induce regenerative wound healing in postnatal wounds. We hypothesize that IL-10 mediated HA-rich PCM formation is essential to the FFb functional phenotype and that this profile can be recapitulated in AFb by IL-10.