Establishment of a cell-based wound healing assay for bio-relevant testing of wound therapeutics
Abstract
Introduction Predictive in vitro testing of novel wound therapeutics requires adequate cell-based bio-assays. Such assays represent an integral part during preclinical development as pre-step before entering in vivo studies. Simple "scratch tests" based on defected skin cell monolayers exist, however these can solely be used for testing liquids, as cell monolayer destruction and excessive hydration limit their applicability for (semi-)solid systems like wound dressings. In this context, a cell-based wound healing assay is introduced for rapid and predictive testing of wound therapeutics independent of their physical state in a bio-relevant environment. Methods A novel wound healing assay was established for bio-relevant and predictive testing of (semi-) solid wound therapeutics. Results The assay allows for physiologically relevant hydration of the tested wound therapeutics at the air-liquid interface and their removal without cell monolayer disruption. In a proof-of-concept study, the applicability and discriminative power could be demonstrated by examining unloaded and drug-loaded wound dressings with two different established wound healing actives (dexpanthenol and metyrapone) and their effect on skin cell behavior. The influence of the released drug on the cells´ healing behavior could successfully be monitored over time. Wound size assessment after 96h resulted in an eight fold smaller wound area for drug treated models compared to the ones treated with unloaded fibers a…
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The reliability and reproducibility of the wound healing assay can be severely impacted by many factors if they are not adequately controlled.
“several articles highlight an increasing number of factors that can severely impact the reliability and reproducibility of the assay, if they are not adequately controlled [38,39,40,41,42]”
From Optimized Wound Healing Assay to Study Extracellular Vesicle-Driven Glioblastoma Cell Migration (2026) · cites this paper as [40]
Protocols involving extracellular vesicles and glioblastoma cells are particularly poorly validated.
“with protocols involving EVs and GB cells being particularly poorly validated.”
From Optimized Wound Healing Assay to Study Extracellular Vesicle-Driven Glioblastoma Cell Migration (2026) · cites this paper as [40]
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- Authors
- Planz, V., Wang, J., & Windbergs, M.
- Affiliations
- Goethe University Frankfurt (DE)
- Corresponding author
- Windbergs, Maike
- Venue
- Journal of Pharmacological and Toxicological Methods
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2018-01
- Volume
- 89
- Pages
- 19-25
- ISSN
- 1056-8719 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2761307601
- Cited by
- 19
- References
- 33
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 1 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 3
- FWCI
- 2.60
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Pharmacological and Toxicological Methods (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Rehabilitation › Wound Healing and Treatments
- Physical Sciences › Materials Science › Biomaterials › Electrospun Nanofibers in Biomedical Applications
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Surgery › Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine
- Keywords
- wound dressings, air-liquid interface, drug release, dexpanthenol, metyrapone, preclinical screening
- MeSH terms
- Proof of Concept Study, Bandages, Biological Assay, Cell Line, Feasibility Studies, Humans, Metyrapone, Pantothenic Acid, Skin, Time Factors, Wound Healing, Keratinocytes, Cell Culture Techniques
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