Identification of fibroblast-immune interactions and skin topologies that shape scarless wound repair (B04)

• Subject Area: Developmental Biology ; Immunology
• Term: since 2023
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 491676693

B04 concentrates on fibroblasts and their role in immune cell maturation and function. This proposed work is based on seminal discoveries on fetal fibroblast diversity and function, in particular with respect to scarless wound closure in the fetus, and the role of heterocellular interactions between fibroblasts and neutrophils in scar formation. The impact of fibroblast-immune cell crosstalk on shaping perinatal skin immunity will be explored in terms of fibroblast and connective tissue niche development and adaptation, with a particular focus on the dynamics in stress/injury (in vivo fetal/perinatal skin wound models). These models will be extremely useful for other PILOT groups studying heterocellular interactions in developing tissues.

• DFG Programme: CRC/Transregios
• Subproject of: TRR 359: Perinatal Development of Immune Cell Topology
• Applicant Institution: Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg
• Project Head: Yuval Rinkevich, Ph.D.