Abstract

Objective: To evaluate therapeutic effect of intradermal injection of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal (BMMSCs) versus adipose-derived (ASCs) stem cells on surgical skin wound healing.
Methods: Forty albino rats were used and classified into four groups: I (Control), II (skin wound), III (skin wound with BM-MSCs treatment) and IV (skin wound with ASCs treatment). The rats were sacrificed on 7th and 14th days from the day of wound induction and skin specimens were processed to be examined by light microscope.
Results: Examination of skin sections of groups II, III and IV after 7 days revealed discontinuity of epidermis, granulation tissue formation and cellular infiltration which were more extensive in group II. After 14 days, these findings persisted in group II, partially subsided in group III and completely subsided in group IV. Collagen fibers were increased with change in their orientation as the healing progress. The CD31 immunoexpression in endothelial cells lining dermal blood vessels was increased in group IV after 7 days with significant reduction in the same group after 14 days when compared with group II and group III.
Conclusion: Wound healing was more advanced with ASCs treatment and that could suggest ASCs as a promising therapy for wound healing without complications and further investigations are recommended to enhance the efficacy of ASCs as a therapy for tissue repair.

Keywords: Adipose stem cells; CD31; Wound; Microscope