4. Conclusion
In this study, RHC we constructed
has a better effect on promoting cell adhesion. Simultaneously, we have
successfully achieved the desire to produce RHC on a large scale.
Compared with NIH/3T3 cells cultured on RHC or EGF alone, cells on
RHC/EGF exhibited better adhesion, viability, and migration
characteristics. This result indicated that the combination of both EGF
and RHC has a synergistic effect. Observed by scanning electron
microscopy, the RHC/EGF dressings we obtained by freeze-drying are more
like natural collagen fibrous structure than the RHC dressing alone.
Consequently, we investigated its potential application in wound healing
and repair. In full-thickness skin defect SD rats model in vivo ,
we found that application of an RHC /EGF freeze-dried dressing could
accelerate wound healing and repair compared with RHC, EGF or the
control wound treatment. This repair manifested as upregulated
expression of angiogenesis biomarkers VEGF and CD31 as well as cell
proliferation-specific proteins Ki67 and PCNA. Collectively, these
results support the therapeutic value of RHC freeze-dried dressing as a
topical biomaterial dressing and EGF biocarrier for regenerative
therapies. Thus, RHC/EGF freeze-dried dressing is a potentially useful
tool for wound healing applications.