Bovine reticulum derived extracellular matrix (b-REM) for reconstruction of full thickness skin wounds in rats

Thirty six clinically healthy adult Wistar rats of either sex were used in the study and randomly divided into three groups having twelve animals in each group. Under general anesthesia, a full-thickness skin wound (20 × 20 mm2) was created on the dorsum of each rat. The defect in group I was kept as open wound and was taken as control. In group II, the defect was repaired with commercially available collagen sheet (b-CS). In group III, the defect was repaired with reticulum derived extracellular matrix of bovine origin (b-REM). Healing was evaluated on the basis of wound contraction, gross, haematological, immunological and histopathological observations. On critical analysis of the observed parameters it was found that b-REM has healing potential and shown better healing response than commercially available collagen sheet to reconstruct full thickness skin wounds in rats.