Immunohistochemical localization of collagen types I and VI in human skin wounds

A total of 74 human skin wounds were investigated and collagen
types I and VI were localized in the wound area by
immunohistochemistry. Collagen type I appeared in the form of
ramifying string-like structures after approximately 5–6 days, but
positive reactions in the form of a spot-like staining around
isolated fibroblasts also occurred in a skin wound aged 4 days.
Collagen VI was detectable after a post-infliction interval of at
least 3 days showing a strongly positive reacting network
associated with fibroblasts in the wound area. Both collagens
appeared almost constantly after a wound age of 6–7 clays and could
also be found in wounds aged a few months. Therefore, although a
positive reaction for collagen type I in the form of string-like
and ramifying structures around wound fibroblasts indicates a wound
age of at least 5–6 days, a spot-like positive staining for
collagen type I cannot exclude a wound age of at least 4 days. A
positive staining for collagen type VI represents a post-infliction
time of 3 days or more. The almost constant appearance of these
collagen types suggests that negative results in a sufficient
number of specimens indicate a wound age of less than 6–7 days, but
cannot completely exclude longer post-infliction intervals. Since
collagen type I and VI are also found in the granulation/scar
tissue of lesions with advanced wound age, the immunohistochemical
analysis of these proteins provides no further information for an
age determination of older skin wounds.