Growth factors and cutaneous wound repair.
The healing of an adult skin lesion is a well studied but complex affair of some considerable clinical interest. Endogenous growth factors, including the EGF, FGF, PDGF and TGF beta families, are released at the wound site and presumed to be a necessary part of the natural wound healing machinery. Moreover, members of each of these families have been shown to enhance healing if added exogenously to a wound site. In this review we shall briefly discuss what is known about the mechanics and cell biology of adult wound healing, describe the normal cellular source of growth factors during the healing process and, with reference to their known capacities in tissue culture, speculate as to how particular growth factors might be able to enhance healing.
Martin
P
P
Department of Human Anatomy, Oxford University, U.K.
Hopkinson-Woolley
J
J
McCluskey
J
J
D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002921:Cicatrix / Q000473:pathology; D003238:Connective Tissue / Q000293:injuries / Q000473:pathology; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000502:physiology; D005337:Fibrin / Q000502:physiology; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors / Q000502:physiology; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006133:Growth Substances / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor / Q000502:physiology; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000502:physiology; D012471:Salivary Proteins and Peptides / Q000502:physiology; D012867:Skin / Q000293:injuries* / Q000473:pathology; D015291:Transforming Growth Factors / Q000502:physiology; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology*
D006133:Growth Substances; D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D012471:Salivary Proteins and Peptides; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor; D015291:Transforming Growth Factors; D005337:Fibrin