To model skin diseases, we develop reconstituted skin models based on genetically modified, immortalized primary skin cells. Our disease models are suited to studying molecular disease mechanisms and evaluating the efficacy of therapeutic products and active substances.
are reconstructed epidermis and full-thickness skin models on whose stratum corneum pathogenic microorganisms trigger dermatological infections.
are reconstructed epidermis and full-thickness skin models made from immortalized, genetically modified primary keratinocytes (overexpression of an exogenous STAT3 gene). Proinflammatory stimuli such as the addition of cytokines or the integration of T cells are used to trigger typical psoriasis characteristics in the skin model. The psoriasis models express characteristic protein markers (e.g. S100A7, CK16, IL-8) and exhibit morphological features such as thickening of the epidermis (acanthosis), impaired final differentiation of keratinocytes (parakeratosis) and thickening of the stratum corneum (hyperkeratosis).
High failure rates in drug development are driving a paradigm shift in basic and preclinical research (Adhikary, P.P., Ul Ain, Q., Hocke, A.C. et al. COVID-19 highlights the model dilemma in biomedical research. Nat Rev Mater 6, 374–376 (2021), https://doi.org/10.1038/s41578-021-00305-z). Animal models do still represent the gold standard. However, they are limited by interspecies differences and the resulting poor prediction of human physiological and pathological conditions. To close this translational gap, human in-vitro disease models are increasingly being developed (Loewa, A., Feng, J.J. & Hedtrich, S. Human disease models in drug development. Nat Rev Bioeng 1, 545–559 (2023), https://doi.org/10.1038/s44222-023-00063-3).
These enable
The use of suitable disease models in (pre-)clinical research increases the success rate of clinical implementation, reduces the costs of drug development and results in increasingly effective active ingredients (Loewa, A., Feng, J.J. & Hedtrich, S. Human disease models in drug development. Nat Rev Bioeng 1, 545–559 (2023), https://doi.org/10.1038/s44222-023-00063-3).
With our decades of experience in the development and targeted genetic modification of human cell lines, the establishment of human reconstituted 3D skin models and adherence to the highest quality standards, we establish specific disease models in complex three-dimensional structures that allow (inter-)cellular interactions.
Depending on the requirements and necessary complexity, our disease models are established from components of the skin, for example primary or immortalized primary fibroblasts and keratinocytes, immune cells, genetically modified cells and microorganisms.
Our disease models are highly comparable to the in-vivo situation of the patient. They therefore have high clinical relevance and very good predictability.
Immortalized primary cells guarantee that our skin models are donor-independent, reproducible and available at any time. Targeted genetic modification of cells allows diseases associated with defective protein function in particular to be transferred to in-vitro models.
In-vitro modeling of diseases is a central component of biomedical research in order to
We offer a wide range of services related to our disease models, which we carry out in modern laboratories on behalf of and in close cooperation with and for our customers:
Our disease models enable the investigation of molecular disease mechanisms and the effects of active ingredients and care products on the tissue architecture and physiological properties of the disease models. The analyses can be performed on the entire full skin model as well as separately in dermis and epidermis.
We offer the following analysis methods:
Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB