Expansion of Fibroblast Cell Sheets Using a Modified MEEK Micrografting Technique for Wound Healing Applications

One of many challenges in wound treatment is to provide sufficient wound area coverage to protect against pathogens and speed up the wound healing process. Recently, cell sheet engineering has shown promise in treating deep wounds. Unfortunately, the cell sheet size is too small for practical use. To overcome this limitation, the MEEK micrografting technique, currently being used in the treatment of extensive deep burns, was investigated. This technique was modified and applied to enlarge dermal fibroblast cell sheets, constructed using temperature-responsive PNIAM-co-AM graft copolymer, by transforming the intact cell sheets into small cell islands at expansion ratios of 1:3, 1:6 and 1:9. Afterwards, cell mechanisms essential for wound healing, including reattachment, proliferation, and migration were investigated. The fibroblast cells on MEEK gauzes possessed high cell viability, capable of reattachment and migration. The optimal expansion ratio having the highest migration rate was 1:6, possibly due to an effective intercellular communication distance. Therefore, the combination of cell sheet engineering with the MEEK micrografting technique could provide high quality cells with a large coverage area, which would be particularly beneficial in wound care applications.