Introduction to ECM Advances in Chinese Dermatologic Surgery

We are pleased to present the Dermatologic Surgery Special Issue, which is focused on the extracellular matrix (ECM) in skin regeneration and dermopathy treatment. Regenerative medicine based on ECM is one of the most promising tools for skin rejuvenation and soft tissue regeneration. In addition, the occurrence of dermopathy is highly related to the disturbance of the ECM. In this issue, we provide the most recent advances in determining the role of the ECM in research and clinical application. This issue presents several articles on the cutting edge of dermatologic surgery. Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP) was discovered to have fibroblastic activity, and a variety of neural features were discovered, which validated DFSP’s fibroblastic origin and tendency toward neural differentiation. The efficacy and safety of picosecond laser therapy (PLT) was proven in the treatment of melasma. In addition, the efficacy and safety assessment found that the ECM is a dressing that promotes wound healing after PLT, which can shorten the downtime by alleviating erythema and edema and proceeding with scab shedding related to PLT. The treatment of keloids, a disease caused by ECM disorder, is an urgent problem in clinical practice. In this special issue, different keloid treatments are presented, including punch excision combined with drug injection, autologous split-thickness skin graft and postoperative radiotherapy, surgical excision with electron beam radiotherapy, and reduced incision tension of keloid surgery by tightening the fascia layer. The illumination of these promising strategies will be conducive to the development of future targeted therapies. Finally, we are fortunate to have several peer-reviewed literatures on the applications of ECM in skin regeneration medicine. Pingping Lin et al elucidated the dynamic composition and potential roles of the extracellular matrix in normal skin, the wound healing process, and abnormal skin scarring. Yixin Wang et al provided an overview of the clinical research, limitations, and potential application of botulinum toxin type A in the prevention and treatment of traumatic or postoperative scars. Weiyuan Zhang et al investigated the mechanism of Mesenchymal stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles (MSC-EVs) in reducing inflammation, promoting angiogenesis, promoting the proliferation and migration of epithelial cells and fibroblasts, and ECM remodeling during wound healing.