OBJECTIVETo observe the expression of lefty in adult normal skin (ANS), human embryonic skin (HES) and hyperplastic scar (HS), and to explore the effect of lefty on HS and the relationship between lefty and scarless wound healing in embryo.

METHODSSamples of ANS, HES and HS were collected for frozen section for immunofluorescence staining. The morphology of fibroblast and the expression of the lefty were observed by laser confocal microscopy, and the positive cell rates were calculated.

RESULTSFibroblasts in ANS and HS were long and fusiform with regularity, their nuclei were fusiform or stellate and irregular. Fibroblasts in HES were fusiform, while nuclei were elliptic or fusiform and regular. Positive cell rates of lefty protein in HS (15.38%) were lower than that in NS (67.92%) and FS (81.67%, P < 0.01), and it was lower in ANS compared with HES (P <0.05).

CONCLUSIONLefty protein may inhibit the formation of scar, its high expression may be related to the embryo scarless wound healing.

Adult ; Cicatrix, Hypertrophic ; metabolism ; Female ; Fibroblasts ; cytology ; metabolism ; Humans ; Left-Right Determination Factors ; metabolism ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Skin ; embryology ; metabolism ; Wound Healing