Over the past decade, there have been many significant advances in the field of skin aging, including studies that explore the clearance of senescent (growth-arrested) cells in skin, regenerative therapeutics, and even 3D bioprinting of skin. One of the latest discoveries showed that blocking Interleukin 17 (IL-17) signaling leads to delays in the skin aging process. But how does IL-17, a pro-inflammatory cytokine, delay what has been known as the inevitable hallmarks of skin aging? 

When it comes to the medical field, 3D modeling has previously been used to render anatomical images in greater detail in order to better understand bodily functions. Lately, however, 3D modeling has made waves in depicting diseases, with a focus on their severity and progression. Unlike a model depicting computer graphics, 3D culture models allow cells to interact in three dimensions and better display cell growth and movement, according to the Food and Drug Administration. Culture models are beneficial in replicating the complexities of disease by promoting interactions between cells and providing insight into potential solutions. In this issue of the Journal of Young Investigators, Priscilla Detwieler and her colleagues demonstrate that atelocollagen incorporated in a 3D model is shown to simulate a potential treatment for inflammation-induced osteoarthritis.