| Abstract: | Human dermal fibroblasts were seeded into collagen lattices (tridimensional meshwork) of two preparations: (1) acid-extracted, (2) pepsin-digested-calf skin collagens. Lattices prepared with pepsin-digested collagen retracted faster during the first 2 days, then the two preparations gave the same contraction pattern. Lattices of both preparations were contracted for up to 23 days and their collagens submitted to CNBr treatment. The patterns of CB-peptides were found identical for all the incubation periods tested. There is no formation of cross-links during the contraction process. |
