This is what the articifial skin looks like.
The study was conducted on artificial human skin
By using artificial human skin, a research group from the University of Copenhagen have managed to block invasive growth in a skin cancer model.
The study has been published in Science Signaling and looks at what actually happens when a cell turns into a cancer cell.
“We have been studying one of the cells’ signalling pathways, the so-called TGF beta pathway. This pathway plays a critical role in the cell’s communication with its surroundings, and it controls e.g. cell growth and cell division. If these mechanisms are damaged, the cell may turn into a cancer cell and invade the surrounding tissue,” explains Professor and Team Lead Hans Wandall from the Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine at the University of Copenhagen.
By using artificial human skin we are past the potentially problematic obstacle of whether results from tests on mice models can be transferred to human tissue.
Under normal circumstances, your skin cells will not just start to invade the hypodermis and wreak havoc. Instead, they will produce a new layer of skin. But when cancer cells emerge, the cells no longer respect the boundaries between skin layers, and they start to invade each other. This is called invasive growth.
Hans Wandall and his colleagues have been studying the TGF beta pathway and applied methods for blocking invasive growth and thus curbing the invasive growth in skin cancer.
“We already have various drugs that can block these signalling pathways and which may be used in tests. We have used some of them in this study,” explains Associate Professor and co-author of the study Sally Dabelsteen from the School of Dentistry.
Hans Wandall and Sally Dabelsteen have worked together with Dr. Zilu Ye and Professor Jesper V. Olsen from the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Protein Research at the Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences.
“Some of these drugs have already been tested on humans, and some are in the process of being tested in connection with other types of cancer. They could also be tested on skin cancer specifically,” she says.
Artificial skin is the closest we get to real human skin
The artificial skin used by the researchers in the new study consists of artificial, genetically manipulated human skin cells. Skin cells are produced on subcutaneous tissue made of collagen. This makes the cells grow in layers, just like real human skin.
Unlike mice models, the skin model, which is another word for artificial skin, allows researchers to introduce artificial genetic changes relatively quickly, which provide insight into the systems that support skin development and renewal.
This way they are also able to reproduce and follow the development of other skin disorders, not just skin cancer.
“By using artificial human skin we are past the potentially problematic obstacle of whether results from tests on mice models can be transferred to human tissue. Previously, we used mice models in most studies of this kind. Instead, we can now conclude that these substances probably are not harmful and could work in practice, because the artificial skin means that we are closer to human reality,” says Hans Wandall.
The artificial skin used by the researchers resembles the skin used to test cosmetics in the EU, which banned animal testing in 2004. However, artificial skin does not allow the researchers to test the effect of a drug on the entire organism, Hans Wandall points out. Skin models like the one used here have been used by cosmetics companies since the mid-1980s.
“We can study the effect focussing on the individual organ – the skin – and then we reap experiences with regard to how molecules work, while we seek to determine whether they damage the structure of the skin and the healthy skin cells,” he says.
Original Article: Artificial human skin paves the way to new skin cancer therapy
More from: University of Copenhagen
The Latest Updates from Bing News
Go deeper with Bing News on:
Artificial human skin
- Forget ringing the button for the nurse. Patients now stay connected by wearing one.
A battery-powered gadget records vital signs, then wirelessly sends the readings to nurses. Officials say it has improved care and reduced nurses’ workloads.
- AI creates terrifying prediction for what humans will look like in 1,000 years
Artificial intelligence has created a prediction for what humans will look like in 1,000 years and the results are very creepy.
- Artificial Intelligence
By Kevin Roose The system, AlphaFold3, could accelerate efforts to understand the human body and fight disease ... effort to spot content made with artificial intelligence.
- AI in hospitals: Patients now wear a chest 'button' to record vitals, assisting nurses
The BioButton, which attaches to the skin, has been used on more than 80,000 hospital ... dollar affixed to their chest — and an unwitting role in the expanding use of artificial intelligence in ...
- Revolutionary artificial skin gives robots a human touch, transforming care and rescue missions
Scientists have recently created a revolutionary type of artificial skin that is both flexible and capable of simulating the human sense of touch. This advancement is set to transform the ...
Go deeper with Bing News on:
Skin cancer
- Andy Roddick opens up on his years-long battle with 'various types of skin cancer'
American tennis legend Andy Roddick has shared that he has battled "various types of skin cancer" since concluding his pro tennis career as the former world No. 1 is now doing regular check ups and ...
- Sun safety reminders for Skin Cancer Awareness Month
May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month, and Utah has one of the highest rates of melanoma, about twice the national average.
- Harvard Health Publishing Q&a: Squamous Cell Skin Cancer
What is the cause and some treatment options for Squamous cell carcinoma? Answered by Dr. Howard E. Lewine M.D. Chief Medical Editor, Harvard Health Publishing · 40 years of experience · USA Squamous ...
- ‘Too Hot to Handle’ Alum Harry Jowsey Calls Skin Cancer Diagnosis ‘A Rude Awakening’
Too Hot to Handle alum Harry Jowsey is feeling grateful after his skin cancer diagnosis. Jowsey, 26, spoke to Us Weekly about his health status on Friday, May 10, during the Race to Erase MS Gala at ...
- Arizona Health Department Launches "Be SunWise" Campaign to Battle Skin Cancer Under the Desert Sun
The Arizona Health Department launched the "Be SunWise" campaign to educate on skin cancer risks and prevention.