HEPARIN-CHITOSAN COMPLEXES STIMULATE WOUND-HEALING IN HUMAN SKIN

The effect of heparin ionically linked to chitosan on the stimulation of re-epithelialisation of full thickness wounds in human skin was inv estigated in an in vitro model. After seven days of incubation, hepari n-chitosan gel stimulated 9/10 of the full thickness wounds to re-epit helialise compared with only 3/10 of the wounds that were covered with chitosan gel or membrane, and none of the wounds incubated without ge l or membrane or with heparin solution alone. Both dermal and epiderma l cells were viable after the incubation time. Furthermore, the stimul atory effect of the heparin-chitosan complexes depended on the concent ration of heparin in the complex. We hypothesise that these effects ar e caused by stabilisation and activation of growth factors that bind t o immobilised heparin.