Abstract

Skin aging is a physiological issue that is still relatively poorly understood. Studies have demonstrated that the dermal extracellular matrix (ECM) plays important roles in skin aging. However, the roles of the changes in ECM characteristics and the molecules that are secreted to the extracellular space and are involved in the formation of the dermal matrix from birth to old age remain unclear. To explore the way in which the ECM microenvironment supports the functions of skin development across different age groups is also poorly understood, we used a decellularization method and matrisome analysis to compare the composition, expression, and function of the dermal ECM in toddler, teenager, adult, and elderly skin. We found that the collagens, glycoproteins, proteoglycans, and regulatory factors that support skin development and interact with these core ECM proteins were differentially expressed at different ages. ECM expression markers occurring during the process of skin development were identified. In addition, our results elucidated the characteristics of ECM synthesis, response to skin development, and the features of the ECM that support epidermal stem cell growth via the basement membrane during skin aging.

Highlights

  • The human skin is a complex organ comprising a range of tissues that act in harmony to create a protective barrier against environmental stresses such as heat, solar ultraviolet light, irradiation, and pathogens, and regulates the body’s temperature and degree of water loss (Quan and Fisher, 2015)

  • To investigate the extracellular matrix (ECM) composition of different ages, decellularized skin scaffolds were obtained using the decellularized method established by our group previously (Leng et al, 2020; Liu et al, 2020; Zhang et al, 2021)

  • Principal coordinates analysis (PCoA) was performed to explore the similarities and dissimilarities of the samples in the four age modules based on the ECM characteristics, and the results suggest that the samples from the four groups differed greatly (Figure 1E)

Read more

Summary

Introduction

The human skin is a complex organ comprising a range of tissues that act in harmony to create a protective barrier against environmental stresses such as heat, solar ultraviolet light, irradiation, and pathogens, and regulates the body’s temperature and degree of water loss (Quan and Fisher, 2015). The human skin consists of two major layers. The upper layer, or epidermis, is a multilayered epithelium that continually undergoes terminal differentiation. Underneath the epidermis lies the dermis, which is enriched with dermal fibroblasts, vascular connective tissue, and dense extracellular matrix (ECM). Dermal collagen constitutes the bulk of the skin, making up 90% of the skin by dry weight (Uitto, 1986). The mechanical properties and functioning of the skin depend on the composition, structure, and organization of the dermis (Haake et al, 2001)

Methods
Results
Discussion
Conclusion
Full Text

Published Version (Free)

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.