Single-cell RNA-seq reveals the midkine-mediated immune microenvironment dysfunction in human keloids fibrotic niche

A keloid scar is recognized as the most intractable skin pathological scar due to its continuous overgrowth, invasion of adjacent boundary and high recurrence rate. Heterogeneity of fibroblasts or vascular endothelial cells was previously characterized, while the immune microenvironment within this fibrotic niche remains largely unknown. Overall design: we profiled over 100,987 single cells from 3 samples of human keloid scars, perilesional keloid skin, normal skin scar and normal skin each, in order to investigate the cellular heterogeneity of various cell types possibly associated with the unique characteristics of keloid scar.