Dextran Hydrogel Scaffolds Enhance Angiogenic Responses and Promote Complete Skin Regeneration During Burn Wound Healing

The study demonstrated that dextran-based hydrogels significantly enhanced the healing of third-degree burn wounds in mice by promoting rapid neovascularization and complete skin regeneration. The hydrogels facilitated early inflammatory cell infiltration and angiogenic cell infiltration, leading to neovascularization by day 7 and increased blood flow compared to controls. By day 21, treated wounds developed mature epithelial structures with hair follicles and sebaceous glands, and after 5 weeks, supported new hair growth and normal epidermal morphology. The findings suggested that dextran hydrogels could serve as effective burn wound scaffolds without the need for additional growth factors or cells.