Learning from Regeneration Research Organisms: The Circuitous Road to Scar Free Wound Healing

Overview

Journal Dev Biol

Publisher Elsevier

Specialties Biology
Reproductive Medicine

Date 2017 Nov 29

PMID 29179946

Citations 31

Authors

Jami R Erickson

Karen Echeverri

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The skin is the largest organ in the body and plays multiple essential roles ranging from regulating temperature, preventing infection and ultimately defining who we are physically. It is a highly dynamic organ that constantly replaces the outermost cells throughout life. However, when faced with a major injury, human skin cannot restore a significant lesion to its original functionality, instead a reparative scar is formed. In contrast to this, many other species have the unique ability to regenerate full thickness skin without formation of scar tissue. Here we review recent advances in the field that shed light on how the skin cells in regenerative species react to injury to prevent scar formation versus scar forming humans.

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