ABSTRACT
Human keratinocytes differentiate from the basal keratinocytes, which rest on the basement membrane zone, and then move up to the top of the skin where they form the Stratum corneum. The basal keratinocytes must migrate from the lateral edges of the wound and from the cut skin appendages (hair follicles, etc.) and migrate across the wound bed to cover the wound. After the matrices are bound to the coverslips, the coverslips are washed and a suspension of human keratinocytes is plated in each dish (500 cells per square centimeter). Using the suboptimal matrices, this chapter aims to add soluble mediators directly to the migration assay or, alternatively, culture the cells for 48 h with the experimental soluble factor and then add it to the assay. It focuses upon metalloproteinases because it is believed that these matrix-degrading enzymes play a role in the process of reepithelialization and wound healing.
