Analysis of dermal composite conditions using collagen absorption characteristics in the THz range.

The absorption characteristics of the dermis were reviewed in the terahertz range from 0.2 to 2 THz. The absorption magnitude of the dermis was higher than that of the epidermis model owing to the inclusion of collagen fibers. The heat denaturation of the collagen and the decrease of water content in the dermis caused a decrease in the absorption magnitude of the dermis. We verified that the absorption magnitude of collagen sheets at 1 THz similarly decreased by nearly 43% upon the heat treatment at approximately 70° C. When the heat-treated sheet was used as a scaffold for cell culture, the average growth rate of the fibroblast increased. These findings suggest that variation in the ability of cell growth in the dermis can be predicted using the absorption of the collagen or the difference between the absorptions of dermis and water.