A new approach to tissue repair: gene therapy.
The process of tissue repair involves a complex tissue response to injury in which growth factors, playing a major role in this process, trigger, control and terminate soakage of inflammatory cells, cells proliferation, secretion of matrix and scars formation by autocrine, paracrine or both. Thus, growth factors can be used to alter the microenvironment of the wounded tissues and to promote their repair. But, there are notable disadvantages in using purified recombination growth factors, 1) the source is so limited that their prices are expensive; 2) the ir half-lives are short and easy to be destroyed by wound proteases; 3) there is no perfect carrier; 4) high initial doses are required but easy to bring toxicity; 5) it is difficult to apply growth factors in deep wounded tissues again and again, their function cannot be played enough accordingly; 6) most of growth factors are the products of recombination. All above-mentioned disadvantages result in a low activity.
Wei
Kuanhai
K
Department of Orthopeadics and Traumatology, Nanfang Hospital, First Military Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China.
Pei
Guoxian
G
Hu
Basheng
B