Studies on the biological activity of the dermal regeneration template.

In mammals, the skin normally responds to injury by the processes of wound contraction and scar formation. However, if a unique acellular dermal regeneration template is placed into the wound, wound contraction is strongly inhibited, and the skin undergoes a regenerative-type healing. It is proposed that these phenomena result from the disruption of a "mechanically coherent" organization of myofibroblasts within the wound. Evidence suggests that the dermal regeneration template prevents the formation of cell-extracellular matrix interactions (fibronexi), which foster the assemblage of a mechanically coherent wound bed. Additional studies support a similar mechanism for the enhanced regenerative-like response to peripheral nerves when extracellular matrix tubes are used to facilitate healing.