Fig. 2: Mechanotransduction attenuation inhibits pro-fibrotic cellular ecology and extracellular matrix architecture.

A–C Representative histological and immunological images of red Duroc pig scars following 25 cm² deep partial-thickness wounding. Wounds were treated with standard dressings alone (Wound), pullulan-collagen hydrogels (Wound + Hydrogel), or focal adhesion kinase inhibitor (FAKI)-infused hydrogels (Wound + FAKI hydrogel) for 90 days, and scars were allowed to remodel until the postoperative day (POD) 180. A Masson’s Trichrome stained images of healed scars demonstrate more significant collage deposition in Wound and Wound + Hydrogel groups than in Wound + FAKI-hydrogel. Wound + FAKI-hydrogel groups demonstrated a more significant presence of cutaneous glands (black arrows), hair follicles (yellow arrows), and intradermal adipocytes (yellow dashed arrow). Scale bar: 200 µm. B Healed scar images stained with Picrosirius Red (PSR) demonstrating that the pharmacological blockade of FAKI-infused Hydrogels demonstrated a greater basket weave-like collagen fiber network, most like unwounded skin, when compared against Wounds and Wound + Hydrogel. Scale bar: 10 µm. C Immunofluorescent staining for DAPI, nuclear marker, and αSMA, myofibroblast marker, demonstrating reduced αSMA expression in wounds treated with a FAKI-infused hydrogel compared to traditional wound dressings. Scale bar: 200 µm. Images were adapted and reproduced with permission from Chen et al. (2021) Nat. Commun.⁹.