Collapse of Cells Which Produce Collagen and Water-Gelling Molecule (Hyaluronan) with Advancing Age Predicates Appearance of Aged Skin

Skin appearance is the primary indicator of age. Cells called fibroblasts which produce collagen and the water-gelling molecule hyaluronan eventually lose support from connecting fibril strands that stretch these cells and they eventually collapse with advancing age, leading to the production of visibly aged and wrinkled skin (see graphic below). Collapsed fibroblasts produce low levels of collagen and high levels of collagen-degrading enzymes. Injectable or oral hyaluronan (aka hyaluronic acid) stimulates production of new, undamaged collagen and hyaluronan by virtue of its ability to hold water and create moist, cushioning skin. [Looking Older: fibroblast collapse and therapeutic implications, Archives Dermatology 144: 666-72, May 2008]

Archives Dermatology 2008;144(5):666-672.