Stimulation of rat cutaneous fibroblasts and their synthetic activity by implants of powdered nacre (mother of pearl)

The components of the cutaneous envelope, the epidermis and the dermis, cha nge in response to aging or environmental stress factors. The fibroblasts i nvolved in maintaining skin tone are the main targets. Nacre, mother of pea rl, from Pinctada maxima, which can stimulate and regulate bone forming cel ls, was implanted in the dermis of rats to test its action on the skin fibr oblasts. This report describes the effect of nacre on the skin fibroblast r ecruitment and physiological activity. It resulted in enhanced extracellula r matrix synthesis and the production of components implicated in cell to c ell adhesion and communication (such as decorine) and in tissue regeneratio n (type I and type III collagens). The nacre implant produced a well vascul arized tissue. The physiological conditions in the region around the implan t are thus those required for the positive interactions between the dermis and epidermis which are fundamental for the physiological function of the s kin. (C) 2000 Harcourt Publishers Ltd.