Research from Switzerland has led to the development of a 3D lab model of human lip cells, replacing the need to use mice in the study of lip diseases and lesions.

Lip injuries and infections are challenging to study and treat due to the unique characteristics of lip cells, however researchers at the University of Bern used cells from patients with lip lacerations and cleft lips, to create ‘immortalised’ lip cells.

These were genetically modified to continue reproducing without ‘cell death’ while also preserving the unique characteristics of lip cells.

In tests to validate the new 3D lip model, it reacted in the same way as human lips do to wounds and the yeast infection candidiasis.

The study was published in Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology.