Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor in Scarless Wound Healing

Significance: The benefit and role of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) in scarless wound healing in clinical application and basic mechanism are discussed. bFGF is a glycoprotein which is widely used in treating wounds and ulcers. bFGF is easily applicable to any type of wound and leads to a better outcome in color, texture, and firmness.

Recent Advances: The amniotic fluids from human mid-gestational trimester may play an important role in scarless wound healing. To investigate cell properties, we used amniotic fluid to augment both adult and fetal fibroblast mitogenic activities, including DNA synthesis and cell proliferation. Preincubation by both bFGF receptor blocker and anti-bFGF antibody significantly decreases proliferative activity in both adult and fetal skin fibroblasts.

Critical Issues: Adult wound healing, to some extent, demonstrates scar formation, leading to unfavorable clinical mismatch of tissue texture and color and causing stiffness. bFGF may improve the outcome of wound healing by normalizing the tissue texture and color to the adjacent intact skin and optimally enhancing wound healing.

Future Directions: bFGF activates ERK and Akt phosphorylation in a dose-dependent manner in both adult and fetal skin fibroblasts, which suggests that bFGF in amniotic fluid plays the most major role in cell proliferation. Application of bFGF from an early wounding stage may lead to better fibroblast proliferation and DNA synthesis through the process of ERK/Akt phosphorylation.