Description
In the present study, we demonstrate that hMSCs migrate toward human keratinocytes as well as toward conditioned medium from cultured human keratinocytes (KCM) indicating that the hMSCs can respond to signals from keratinocytes. Incubation of hMSCs with KCM induced dermal myofibroblast like differentiation characterized by expression of cytoskeletal markers vinculin and F-actin filaments with increased expression of alpha smooth muscle actin. We then examined the therapeutic efficacy of hMSCs in wound healing in two animal models representing normal and chronic wound healing. Accelerated wound healing, as determined by quantitative measurements of wound area, was observed when hMSCs and KCM exposed hMSCs (KCMSCs) were injected near the site of incisional/excisional wounds in nondiabetic athymic and NOD/SCID mice as compared with normal human fetal lung fibroblast WI38 cells or saline control induced wound healing.