Acellular Fish Skin Grafts in Wound Healing Applications

Acellular fish skin grafts are decellularised matrices derived from marine dermis that retain a native collagenous framework enriched with omega-3 fatty acids. Through a process of gentle decellularisation and sterilisation, cellular components and antigens are removed while extracellular matrix proteins, glycosaminoglycans and bioactive lipids remain intact. This composite scaffold provides structural support for host cell adhesion, stimulates angiogenesis and guides re-epithelialisation. The inherent anti-inflammatory properties of omega-3 lipids help to temper excessive immune responses, reducing pain and dressing changes and promoting a more organised healing sequence. Applications span superficial and partial-thickness burns, donor-site management and chronic non-healing ulcers such as diabetic foot wounds. Advantages include low immunogenicity, minimal disease transmission risk, reduced logistic costs and broad cultural acceptability. Preclinical investigations have elucidated underlying mechanisms—from modulation of purinergic signalling and oxidative stress pathways to accelerated granulation tissue formation—and clinical case series and trials have reported faster wound closure, improved aesthetic outcomes and decreased analgesic requirements. As a sustainable by-product of fisheries, acellular fish skin represents a globally scalable and versatile tool in modern wound care.

Research from Nature Portfolio

No recent Nature Portfolio content available.

Acellular Fish Skin Grafts in Wound Healing Applications publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in acellular fish skin grafts in wound healing applications across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Acellular: A material from which all living cells have been removed, leaving behind an extracellular matrix scaffold.

Extracellular matrix: The network of proteins and polysaccharides that provides structural and biochemical support to surrounding cells.

Angiogenesis: The formation of new blood vessels from existing vasculature, crucial for supplying nutrients to regenerating tissue.

Re-epithelialisation: The process by which epithelial cells migrate to cover a wound surface and restore the skin barrier.

Xenograft: A tissue graft taken from one species and applied to a different species, in this case fish skin used in humans or animal models.

Decellularisation: The technique by which cellular components are removed from a tissue to minimise immunogenicity while preserving matrix architecture.

References

1. Fish Skin Grafts Affect Adenosine and Methionine Metabolism during Burn Wound Healing. Antioxidants (2023).
2. Accelerated Wound Closure of Deep Partial Thickness Burns with Acellular Fish Skin Graft. International Journal of Molecular Sciences (2021).
3. Fish skin grafts compared to human amnion/chorion membrane allografts: A double‐blind, prospective, randomized clinical trial of acute wound healing. Wound Repair and Regeneration (2019).