Inducible Animal Models of Skin Fibrosis; Updated Review of the Literature

Abstract

Fibrosis is a common and mostly progressive pathological outcome in various chronic inflammatory disorders. Dermal (skin) fibrosis, which is associated with intense skin lesions, is a result of an uncontrolled healing process in the dermis, particularly disproportionate fibroblast proliferation and Extracellular Matrix (ECM) production. Animal models are substantial tools in biomedical investigations and have been considerably employed to evaluate miscellaneous features of diseases that cannot be demonstrated otherwise in humans. To date, various skin fibrosis models have been generated, including the transgene and/or genetic models and chemical and drug-induced models. However, genetic models are sophisticated and need access to convoluted methods. Accordingly, the introduction of affordable and easy to generate fibrosis models in the skin is crucial. Here, we aimed to introduce the chemical/drug-induced skin fibrosis animal models to provide an updated list of available approaches.