Examining the Role of Mast Cells in Fetal Wound Healing Using Cultured Cells In Vitro

Mast cells play an important role during the inflammatory phase of wound healing, and studies suggest that they also influence scar formation and remodeling. Recently, our laboratory has characterized the mast cell response to injury in a fetal wound healing model. In this model, early gestation fetal skin regenerates and heals without a scar (scarless wounds) and late gestation skin heals with a scar (fibrotic wounds). Differences in mast cell number, maturity, and activity were identified between scarless and scar-forming fetal wounds. To study mast cell function in more detail, in vitro experiments are useful. This chapter outlines methods to expand, purify, and study the function of mast cells harvested from murine fetal skin. Using these methods, cultured mast cells retain many of the differences in maturity and activation seen during fetal skin development in vivo. Studying the function of mast cells in vitro could help define the mechanisms by which mast cells contribute to wound repair and ultimately lead to better therapies for improving wound repair and reducing scar formation.