Researchers at the RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research (BDR) have developed an improved human-skin equivalent that reproduces traction-force balance in the lateral direction, a property that controls the structure and physiological function of skin.
This artificial skin will enhance in-depth analyses of physiological skin functions, provide solutions to skin problems caused by diseases or aging, and reduce the need for animal testing.
The skin provides a barrier and physical cushion that protects the body from the external environment. In addition to responding to external physical stimuli such as pressure and tension, the skin is constantly in a state of “tensional homeostasis” in which the cells near the outer layer of skin maintain a stable and steady tension through collagen fibers.