Therapeutic Effect of Decellularized Extracellular Matrix from Fish Skin for Accelerating Skin Regeneration

A cellular matrix derived from natural tissue functions as a highly biocompatible and versatile material for wound healing application. It provides a complex and highly organized environment with biological molecules and physical stimuli. Recently, various kinds of tissue/organ decellularized extracellular matrixes (dECMs) from bovine and porcine have been used as biomedical applications to support tissue regeneration but inherit religious restrictions and the risk of disease transmission to humans. Marine fish-derived dECMs are seen as attractive alternatives due to their similarity to mammalian physiology, reduced biological risks, and fewer religious restrictions. The aim of this study was to derive a decellularized matrix from the olive flounder (<i>Paralichthys olivaceus</i>) skin and evaluate its suitability as a wound healing application. Olive flounder skin was treated with a series of chemical treatments to remove cellular components. Decellularized fish skin (dFS) was confirmed to be successful in decellularization by evaluating the DNA content (2.84%). The dFS was characterized and evaluated in vivo to assess its biological activities. The mouse wound defect model was used to evaluate the in vivo performance of the dFS compared with that of the decellularized porcine skin (dPS). The resultant dFS was shown to enhance wound healing compared with the no-treatment group and dPS. This study suggests that dFS has potential for skin regeneration application.