TAGS: Skin Care
Gattefossé and BioMeca have jointly developed a model of 3D dermal microtissue to study elastic properties in vitro. BioMeca provides expertise for developing innovative analytical assessment with state-of the-art technologies to accurately evaluate the elasticity of such skin microtissues.
Exploring Elastic Properties of Skin Models
3D scaffold-free spheroids take advantage of the ability of cells to secrete their own extracellular matrix to ultimately recreate their own microenvironment. This technology enabled Gattefossé to produce in vitro hundreds of 3D microtissues within a few days only using dermal fibroblasts aggregated in ultra-low affinity plates.
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Characterizing biological models is becoming a challenge to evaluate new formulas or active ingredients aiming to restore or maintain skin integrity. BioMeca offers state-of-the-art technologies to bring new insights biology. Second Generation Harmonic microscopy highlights fibers network while Atomic Force Microscopy reveals tissue stiffness in both imaging and mechanically manipulating biological structures near physiological conditions overtime. With topographical mechanical measurement, quantitative nanomechanical quantification and tissue characterization, BioMeca’s expertise represents a key for exploring elastic properties of skin models and opens a new door for skin care,” commented the co-founder of BioMeca, Julien Chlasta.
Mimics In Vitro Dermal Elastic Mechanics
The elastic modulus (or Young modulus) was then measured using Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and the elastic fibers were visualized by Second Harmonic Generation (SHG) imaging microscopy. Gattefossé and BioMeca thus demonstrated that the 3D spheroid microtissue is a relevant and reliable model with a complex organization, comprising a dense, mature elastic fiber network sufficiently extensive to mimic in vitro dermal elastic mechanics.
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By combining two cutting-edge analytical techniques, i.e., second harmonic generation (SHG) microscopy and atomic force microscopy (AFM), we have been able to accurately correlate both the presence and amounts of elastic fibers with elastic properties of microtissues, thus evidencing that newly formed elastic fibers were functional,” said the Skin Biology Research Manager at Gattefossé, Dr HDR Nicolas Bechetoille.
This advanced 3D model has been successfully used to measure the efficacy of EleVastin™ a novel active ingredient developed by Gattefossé, fighting against age-related loss of skin elasticity.
Source: Gattefossé