Retour au reportage Retour au reportage
20160102_0066

© Cyril FRESILLON/IPBS/CNRS Images

Reference

20160102_0066

Slice of human dermal tissue is positioned between electrodes connected to a generator

Injecting the surface of a small slice of human dermal tissue with a GFP-expressing plasmid (Green Fluorescent Protein, a protein that emits fluorescent green light). This tissue is a dermal substitute engineered from cells taken during a skin biopsy. The tissue was positioned between electrodes connected to a generator which transmitted electrical impulses with known parameters. These pulses induced a transitory permeabilisation of the membranes of the tissue cells and enabled the GFP-expressing plasmid to penetrate the cells. After 24 or 48 hours, the tissue was examined by multiphoton microscope in order to locate and quantify the amount of GFP-expressing cells. This experiment enabled us to obtain in vitro rates of transfection comparable to those obtained in vivo. It thus proved possible to create a substitute for human skin in vitro, i.e. a dermal model that can be used in the laboratory. This will allow us to limit the number of in vivo tests on animal models.

CNRS Institute(s)

Regional office(s)

CNRS Images,

Our work is guided by the way scientists question the world around them and we translate their research into images to help people to understand the world better and to awaken their curiosity and wonderment.