Immune cells in skin may assist healing

Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute believe they may have made a breakthrough in finding out how the immune system can help with skin healing.

They knew that dendritic epidermal T cells (DETCs) are the only resident T cells in the epidermis of mice, but that they also exist in human skin.

These cells produce a molecule called interleukin-17A (IL-17A), which wards off infection, calls other, non-skin-resident immune cells to the site of a wound and promotes healing.


When mice were deprived of IL-17A and DETCs, their wounds healed much more slowly than normal, while restoring them speeded up the process again.

Further research will now be carried out on humans to see if a similar process occurs and if these cells do act as first responders.

Lead author Professor Wendy L Havran said in the Journal of Clinical Investigation: 'We hope that it will point the way towards better therapies for people with difficulties in healing wounds.'

Earlier this month, a team at the Universita degli Studi di Milano suggested scars that remain painful could be ameliorated with autologous fat grafting.

Read the abstractADNFCR-554-ID-801642922-ADNFCR

More from Netdoctor:
Bottle of red wine in a gift box
What do you think of the recommendations?
Doctor looking at arthritis xray
Vitamin D could help treat arthritis, study suggests
Hands up if you're missing the sun
Older Caucasian woman painting in park
8 ways to prevent osteoporosis
Hand holding vitamin d supplement
Girl taking photos with vintage camera in snow
The real reason you get chilly hands and feet
It may be different to what you think....
Pink shopping trolley
Mobile cancer screening to be rolled out across UK supermarkets
It's part of a national drive to speed up diagnosis
Woman holding tampon and pad
Tampon tax calculator: How much have YOU spent?
It's probably quite a lot
Woman who can't sleep
A GP reveals all
Garlic bulb
Do these 6 winter health foods and supplements actually work?
From garlic to honey
Christmas baubles on table in front of decorated tree
Mental Health
Explains a psychoanalyst
Red squirrel in snow
How squirrels could help stroke patients
Their brains could hold the key to a new treatment
Mature man drinking traditional pint of real ale beer.
Another reason to moderate your alcohol intake