Amélie Thépot, LabSkin Creations
Premium Beauty News - You created LSC early 2014. What services do you offer?
Amélie Thépot - LabSkin Creations was created in collaboration with Dr. Odile Damour to promote the legacy in tissue reconstruction of the Laboratoire des Substituts Cutanés HCL/CNRS (Hôpital Edouard Herriot, Lyon) has been developing in clinical research [1] since 1988. We use a “full-thickness” reconstructed skin model (dermis and epidermis) to offer custom services for the assessment on the efficacy of ingredients or skin care products.
The patented cell culture medium is based on a single matrix composed of essential components in the extracellular matrix (ECM): collagen and chitosan insolubilized glysosaminoglycanes. This porous matrix was optimized to recreate a physiological environment conducive to cellular in vivo and in vitro colonization. A functional dermis is faithfully reproduced, in which all the elements of the ECM are synthesized and placed in an organized manner. Hence, interactions between the two compartments have enabled for the first time the in vitro deposition of a functional and organized tissue, whereas until now, elastin was only found in a soluble form in the culture medium. [2]
Premium Beauty News - What are the particularities of the latest models developed?
Amélie Thépot - This model is the first to be flexible and adaptable to the needs, it is a constant source of innovation and scientific inspirations. The cell types used, the age and anatomical origin of cells (young vs. aged / photo-exposed vs. photo-protected), the culture time, the moment and type of application of the active (topical vs. systemic) are all possible variables just like the different stresses to apply, like pollution, UV exposure, mechanical stress... For the Laboratoire des Substituts Cutanés (Laboratory of Skin Substitutes) and LabSkin Creations this reconstructed skin model is an ongoing source of innovation and scientific inspirations.
Our latest advances relate to models mimicking senescence over very long cultivation times, up to 120 days, while standard cultures stop after 42 days. We are therefore able to test actives throughout the whole tissue reconstruction and substantiate their efficacy on dermal and epidermal reconstruction from a mechanistic and biological point of view. We have also developed “chimeric” reconstructed skin models based on combinations of cells from donors of different ages, highlighting the dialogue between the different skin compartments and their involvement in the damage associated with aging and particularly on the reconstruction and maturation of the dermo-epidermal junction. The real benefit we offer our clients is the development of skin models exactly tailored to their needs and the issues to be addressed.
Premium Beauty News - How does it exactly work?
Amélie Thépot - Just like haute couture, we wanted to create the concept of "Haute Culture" with three sequential steps:
1) The design and development of the reconstructed skin model following the client’s specifications and adapted to the tested product of interest: the 3D Skin Designer®.
2) The production and delivery of the custom reconstructed skin model with the product application supplied by the client: the 3D Skin Factory®.
3) The observation of the active’s overall effect using histological staining, which enables to guide additional research and further explorations: the 3D Skin Scanner®.
Then, two types of approaches are proposed: a tissue approach with the study of skin markers using immuno-detection and quantitative analysis using image processing and a molecular approach. It focuses on the modulation, by the active ingredient, of the genes and / or proteins expression of interest in the reconstructed skin model. This is performed through proteomic analysis or genomic analysis. An illustrated and quantified scientific report is provided with evidence of the product’s efficacy, describing the protocol, summarizing and analysing all the results, providing all the images and videos generated and the associated quantitative analyses.
Premium Beauty News - Who are your clients?
Amélie Thépot - Our offer is aimed at both suppliers of cosmetic actives and finished products. However we also have clients in the food and pharmaceutical industries. Academic research also has a keen interest in our techniques to implement more fundamental studies.
During the post IFSCC day (31 October 2014), a visit of the Laboratoires des Substituts Cutanés and of LabSkin Creations will be scheduled.
