Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells combined with porcine small intestinal submucosa promote the healing of full-thickness skin injury in SD rats

To assess the therapeutic potential of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUCMSCs) combined with porcine small intestinal submucosa (SIS) on full-thickness skin injuries in rats. We established full-thickness skin injury models in Sprague–Dawley rats, dividing them into blank control, SIS, hUCMSCs and hUCMSCs combined with SIS. We monitored wound healing, scores and area, and analyzed inflammatory cells, microvessel density and collagen fibers after 12 days. The blank group showed no healing, forming a scar of 0.6 × 0.5 cm , while SIS and hUCMSCs groups exhibited incomplete healing with 0.4 × 0.5 cm scabs. Wound healing was significantly better in the hUCMSCs combined with the SIS group. Local application of hUCMSCs combined with SIS enhances full-thickness skin injury wound healing in rats. Our skin protects us from infections and injuries, but severe damage can lead to health problems. In this study, we explored a promising new treatment to enhance skin healing. We used mesenchymal stem cells derived from umbilical cords in combination with a biological material called porcine small intestinal submucosa (SIS) to conduct experiemnts on rats with skin wounds. This treatment led to much better healing in rats with deep skin wounds compared with standard approaches. This approach is promising for treating severe skin injuries, offering hope for quicker recovery and better outcome, including faster recovery, reduced pain and inflammation and less scarring.