The Fibroblast-Populated Collagen Lattice: A Model of Fibroblast Collagen Interactions in Repair

The healing of dermal defects requires the replacement and integration of a new connective-tissue matrix at the repair site. The deposition and organization of that new connective-tissue matrix entails the interaction between fibroblasts and collagen. A better understanding of those interactions may lead to a more rapid closure of wounds and will reduce the frequency of abnormal scarring. An approach to better understand that process is through in vitro models. One such model is the fibroblast-populated collagen lattice (FPCL), introduced by Bell and colleagues (1 ).