Scar-wars and self vascularising materials

Scarring represents an ancient wound repair mechanism that leads to a broad spectrum of tissue disturbances ranging from cosmetic nuisance to organ failure. It also endangers the integration of implanted medical devices and tissue constructs into host tissue by enshrouding them in an avascular fibrotic capsule. To prevent this we employ small chemicals that downregulate collagen synthesis. Interestingly, some of these compounds - prolyl hydroxylase inhibitors – not only impede the secretion of procollagen but also stabilise HIF-1α, an angiogenic master switch. This induces fibrogenic cells to secrete angiogenic factors. We confirmed this dual effect in transgenic zebrafish and are now developing these substances for topical delivery from biomaterials used as scaffold for tissue constructs or from coatings of medical devices to create novel advanced functional biomaterials that prevent peri-implantational fibrosis while becoming vascularised.