Fish Acellular Dermal Matrix Promotes Repair of Full-Thickness Skin Defects in Mice and Bama Pigs.

Abstract

This study aimed to develop an acellular dermal matrix derived from tilapia skin and evaluate its potential as a bioscaffold for skin wound repair. Structural and compositional changes before and after decellularisation were assessed through histological staining, electron microscopy and immunological analysis. The matrix exhibited low immunogenicity, preserved extracellular matrix architecture and retained key bioactive components. In vitro, the matrix significantly promoted cell proliferation, migration, and tube formation in human umbilical vein endothelial cells and human foreskin fibroblasts. In vivo, full-thickness skin defect models in Balb/c mice and Bama pigs demonstrated that the tilapia-derived matrix not only accelerated wound closure but also improved the quality of tissue regeneration by enhancing collagen deposition and vascularisation. Compared to the commercial porcine-derived matrix, the fish-derived scaffold exhibited superior regenerative outcomes. Notably, transcriptomic profiling of wound tissue revealed that the matrix modulated a range of biological pathways, including immune regulation, extracellular matrix remodelling and angiogenesis, indicating a multifaceted interaction between the biomaterial and host tissue. These findings underscore the excellent biocompatibility and therapeutic efficacy of the tilapia-derived matrix, supporting its potential as a safe, economical and sustainable bioscaffold for clinical skin repair. The inclusion of a large animal model provides critical translational relevance due to the anatomical and physiological similarity between porcine and human skin, while transcriptomic analysis offers valuable mechanistic insights into matrix-tissue interactions.