Immunofluorescence studies on RHE tissue sections

Staining was done with Ki67 antibody to detect the active dividing cells (moderate activity is found in normal tissue).

(A) and (B) are d11 RHEs, (C) and (D) are d13 RHEs.

(A) and (C) were treated with UE, (B) and (D) were not treated.

An increase in Ki67 expression was observed after one UE transfer (A), or with more transfers (C) on d13. These results demonstrate the effects of UE in improving tissue regeneration and normal growth.

Composition of light microscopy pictures, without staining, on wounded RHEs, frozen sections, 5 days after the wound was produced

(A) and (C) represent wounded RHEs treated by UE; there was aproximately 60%-80%.

(B) and (D) represent wounded RHEs not treated with UE. (D) shows degenerated tissue at the wound and detachment of tissue from the support.

(D) shows a small "bridge" between the edges without any real repair. The same degenerative alterations can be seen on both sides of the wound.

This figure demonstrates that UE helped the tissue to heal better and faster.

Composition of H+E staining of wounded RHEs, frozen sections

(A) and (C) represent wounded RHEs treated by UE. (A) shows the healing bridge between two sides. Complete healing is seen in (C).

(B) and (D) represent wounded untreated RHEs. (B) shows how the tissue tried to bridge the two sides, however the tissue had degenerative alterations.

(D) shows the small bridge, but the rest of the tissue is still not connected (contrary to the treated RHEs, where healing occurred during the same time).

Immunofluorescence studies on wound healing experiments

(A) shows a UE-treated wounded RHE. (B) shows un untreated wounded RHE. Both were stained with the anti-collagen 4 antibody.

Noticeable in (A) at the wound area, there is a mass of proteins in rich tissue that covered the wound. The staining collagen 4, which indicates its active secretion at the wounded zone, can be seen at the basal cell level.

The epidermal tissue above the active repaired zone looks normal, like the rest of the epidermis, with no defective scarring.

(B) represents a wounded untreated RHE. The disorder in the tissue can be seen, as well as the fragile bridge, though without any evidence of the mass of rich protein and fibre at the wound area, and no collagen 4 staining is detectable yet (contrary to the treated RHE).