Biomimetic gender-specific human skin model based on gonads/epidermis-on-a-chip
The development of bionic skin is crucial for progressing our understanding of skin physiology and pathologies, while the precise replication of human skin features in skin models remains a challenge. In this study, we present a biomimetic, gender-specific skin model utilizing a gonads/epidermis-on-...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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KeAi Communications Co., Ltd.
2025-11-01
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| Series: | Bioactive Materials |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2452199X2500307X |
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| author | Xiangyi Wu Yuanyuan Zhang Ye Xu Xinyue Cao Yuanjin Zhao |
| author_facet | Xiangyi Wu Yuanyuan Zhang Ye Xu Xinyue Cao Yuanjin Zhao |
| author_sort | Xiangyi Wu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The development of bionic skin is crucial for progressing our understanding of skin physiology and pathologies, while the precise replication of human skin features in skin models remains a challenge. In this study, we present a biomimetic, gender-specific skin model utilizing a gonads/epidermis-on-a-chip platform. This innovative approach seamlessly integrates ex vivo cultured human epidermal tissue and gonad cell aggregates into a microfluidic system, facilitating the exploration of the regulatory effects of sex hormones on the epidermis. Based on this platform, we have found that estradiol can enhance proliferation and inhibit apoptosis of keratinocytes. Conversely, testosterone notably induces keratinocyte differentiation, leading to epidermal hyperkeratosis. These observations align with the well-documented phenomenon that males possess thicker and more durable skin, while females’ skin exhibits superior repair capabilities. Thus, we believe that our biomimetic gender-specific skin model can offer a promising avenue for obtaining higher-certainty evidence of human skin-related conditions and find important applications in the areas of cosmetics and biomedicine. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-de220621fd104f67b97759101e786c34 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2452-199X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-11-01 |
| publisher | KeAi Communications Co., Ltd. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Bioactive Materials |
| spelling | doaj-art-de220621fd104f67b97759101e786c342025-08-20T02:39:16ZengKeAi Communications Co., Ltd.Bioactive Materials2452-199X2025-11-015324025210.1016/j.bioactmat.2025.07.014Biomimetic gender-specific human skin model based on gonads/epidermis-on-a-chipXiangyi Wu0Yuanyuan Zhang1Ye Xu2Xinyue Cao3Yuanjin Zhao4Department of Burn and Plastic Surgery, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210008, ChinaDepartment of Dermatology and Venereology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210008, ChinaDepartment of Burn and Plastic Surgery, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210008, ChinaSchool of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, ChinaDepartment of Burn and Plastic Surgery, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210008, China; School of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, China; Corresponding author. Department of Burn and Plastic Surgery, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing, 210008, China.The development of bionic skin is crucial for progressing our understanding of skin physiology and pathologies, while the precise replication of human skin features in skin models remains a challenge. In this study, we present a biomimetic, gender-specific skin model utilizing a gonads/epidermis-on-a-chip platform. This innovative approach seamlessly integrates ex vivo cultured human epidermal tissue and gonad cell aggregates into a microfluidic system, facilitating the exploration of the regulatory effects of sex hormones on the epidermis. Based on this platform, we have found that estradiol can enhance proliferation and inhibit apoptosis of keratinocytes. Conversely, testosterone notably induces keratinocyte differentiation, leading to epidermal hyperkeratosis. These observations align with the well-documented phenomenon that males possess thicker and more durable skin, while females’ skin exhibits superior repair capabilities. Thus, we believe that our biomimetic gender-specific skin model can offer a promising avenue for obtaining higher-certainty evidence of human skin-related conditions and find important applications in the areas of cosmetics and biomedicine.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2452199X2500307XOrgan-on-a-chipSkin-on-a-chipGonad-on-a-chipMicrofluidicsSkin modelBiomimetic |
| spellingShingle | Xiangyi Wu Yuanyuan Zhang Ye Xu Xinyue Cao Yuanjin Zhao Biomimetic gender-specific human skin model based on gonads/epidermis-on-a-chip Bioactive Materials Organ-on-a-chip Skin-on-a-chip Gonad-on-a-chip Microfluidics Skin model Biomimetic |
| title | Biomimetic gender-specific human skin model based on gonads/epidermis-on-a-chip |
| title_full | Biomimetic gender-specific human skin model based on gonads/epidermis-on-a-chip |
| title_fullStr | Biomimetic gender-specific human skin model based on gonads/epidermis-on-a-chip |
| title_full_unstemmed | Biomimetic gender-specific human skin model based on gonads/epidermis-on-a-chip |
| title_short | Biomimetic gender-specific human skin model based on gonads/epidermis-on-a-chip |
| title_sort | biomimetic gender specific human skin model based on gonads epidermis on a chip |
| topic | Organ-on-a-chip Skin-on-a-chip Gonad-on-a-chip Microfluidics Skin model Biomimetic |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2452199X2500307X |
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