In vitro model based on human keratinocyte to evaluate relaxin activity on wound healing exploiting time-lapse video microscopy.

Wound repair is a well-ordered but complex process involving many cellular activities including inflammation, growth factor and cytokine production, and thus cell migration and proliferation. In vitro wound healing assays have been used and are well accepted, for the discovery and validation of biomolecules that may influence cell migration and improve repair (Liu et al. 2009). The aim of our research was to exploit time-lapse video-microscopy (Okolab, Italy) to observe and analyse scratched monolayers of keratinocyte cell line (HaCat), with specific interest in characterizing different relaxin preparations.