Connective Tissue Structure and Function in Normal, Pathological and Aging Skin

A special issue of Bioengineering (ISSN 2306-5354). This special issue belongs to the section "Cellular and Molecular Bioengineering".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2025 | Viewed by 1581

Special Issue Editor


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Chemistry, Biology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Environmental Sciences, Białystok University of Technology, Wiejska 45E Street, 15-351 Białystok, Poland
Interests: influence of selected xenobiotics and plant-origin compounds on the metabolism and functioning of the human body at the cellular level with the use of molecular biology methodology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Cutaneous connective tissue is a combination of all, histogenetically distinct, skin cells and tissues, resulting in a functional organ. The main cellular components of connective tissue are fibroblasts. They occur, apart from the skin, in almost every tissue and organ of the human body. These cells have the ability to synthesize and organize the extracellular matrix (ECM) and communicate with stem cells, mitotic and postmitotic cells, and tissues of various origins. Their unique properties and functioning mechanisms make them a central component of the skin, playing a major role in maintaining skin homeostasis. The structure of the dermis is dominated by fibrous connective tissue, which contains receptors, sweat glands, blood vessels, nerves, and hair roots. It is divided into two layers: the papillary layer, with a lot of protrusions connected to the epidermis; and the reticular layer, which is adjacent to the subcutaneous tissue. The papillary layer area contains type I and type III collagen fibers interwoven with elastic fibers. The reticular layer with stretchable, parallel strands of collagen fibers and elastin fibers is located in deeper layers. The main skin protein is collagen. The glycation of collagen and extracellular matrix (ECM) plays an important role in the aging process, but also in many diseases.

The aim of this Special Issue is to collect information regarding skin structure and functioning, the fibroblast’s role in skin aging and in different pathological conditions, and extracellular matrix functioning in normal and pathological conditions and in aging. This collection of articles will include the most relevant work in the area of connective tissue functioning in normal and pathological conditions, using the latest methodologies applied. Therefore, this Special Issue is open for comprehensive review and original research papers and addresses the following topics:

  • Skin structure and activity;
  • Connective tissue structure and functioning in normal and pathological conditions;
  • Extracellular matrix (ECM) structure and functioning;
  • Fibroblasts as a main skin cell type;
  • Age-related changes in connective tissue;
  • Collagen and other skin proteins;
  • Connective tissue protein glycation.

Dr. Agata Jabłońska-Trypuć
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Bioengineering is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • connective tissue
  • skin
  • fibroblasts
  • collagen
  • ECM
  • aging

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (1 paper)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

14 pages, 2395 KiB  
Article
Human Skin Fibroblasts as an In Vitro Model Illustrating Changes in Collagen Levels and Skin Cell Migration Under the Influence of Selected Plant Hormones
by Agata Jabłońska-Trypuć, Walentyn Pankiewicz, Elżbieta Wołejko, Gabriela Sokołowska, Jorge Estévez, Miguel A. Sogorb and Urszula Wydro
Bioengineering 2024, 11(12), 1188; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering11121188 - 25 Nov 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1209
Abstract
Human skin fibroblasts are an excellent in vitro model for tracking the processes occurring in human skin and studying the potential impact of various biologically active substances on these processes. Two plant hormones, which are included in the cytokinins group—kinetin (K) and N-6-benzyladenine [...] Read more.
Human skin fibroblasts are an excellent in vitro model for tracking the processes occurring in human skin and studying the potential impact of various biologically active substances on these processes. Two plant hormones, which are included in the cytokinins group—kinetin (K) and N-6-benzyladenine (BA)—have a positive effect on human skin. Therefore, an attempt was made to examine the effect they have on key skin functions, cell proliferation, and migration, as well as collagen synthesis in them. The effect of phytohormones was studied at selected concentrations for kinetin—10 μM and 1 μM—and for N-6-benzyladenine—1 μM and 0.1 μM. A wound-healing assay was used in order to analyze cell migration and proliferation. The content of total protein and collagen in cells and culture medium was determined. The obtained results confirm that the studied compounds induce cell migration and proliferation, as well as collagen biosynthesis. The positive effect of kinetin and N-6-benzyladenine on fibroblast metabolism that we have demonstrated allows us to indicate them as compounds with potentially therapeutic properties. Therefore, we conclude that they should be subjected to further molecular and in vivo studies focusing on pathologies connected with skin diseases and aging. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop