title: Myofibroblasts in healing laser wounds of rat tongue mucosa.
abstract: The distribution of myofibroblasts was studied in healing laser incisions compared with scalpel-incision and excision wounds in dorsal tongue mucosa and excision wounds in back skin. Myofibroblasts (m-f-b) were visualized by staining with NBD-phallacidin, a fluorescent probe specific for F-actin, and by electron microscopy. Few, randomly-orientated m-f-b were found in laser wounds over 28 days. Neither m-f-b nor contraction were seen in the scalpel-incisions. No contraction was observed in the laser wounds whereas an organized network of m-f-b with substantial contraction occurred in excision wounds. It is suggested that lack of contraction in laser wounds is partially due to the fewness of m-f-b. The residual connective tissue matrix resisting the laser treatment also seems to play a role in preventing the wound contraction.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Dentistry, University of Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Luomanen
authors.forename: V P
authors.initials: VP
authors.lastname: Lehto
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Meurman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003239:Connective Tissue Cells; D005260:Female; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D053685:Laser Therapy; D008297:Male; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000601:surgery* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D014059:Tongue / Q000166:cytology*; D014945:Wound Healing