3D bioprinted dual layered silk-fibroin gelatin construct. Credit: Chakraborty, J. et al.
Wrinkles, loss of elasticity and glow are the first visible signs of ageing on human skin. The cascade of molecular processes that lead to such degeneration can now be examined in a 3D skin construct that mimics ageing1.
A team at the Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi, has printed the construct using a silk fibroin–gelatin bioink encapsulated with fibroblasts and keratinocytes to recreate the skin’s dermal and epidermal layers.
Traditional 2D models lack the complex architecture of skin and cannot properly replicate ageing. Exposing the 3D constructs to hydrogen peroxide and high levels of glucose triggered ageing traits comparable to those of native aged skin, including changes in morphology, genes and proteins.
The researchers found that glucose exposure mimicked ageing more effectively than hydrogen peroxide, underscoring its value for disease-relevant modelling.
“In addition, the ageing skin platform offers a promising tool for anti-ageing drug discovery and cosmetic testing,” says Sourabh Ghosh, who led the study.
