Tracy LE, Minasian RA, Caterson EJ, et al.
Advances in wound care. Date of publication 2016 Mar 1;volume 5(3):119-136.
1. Adv Wound Care (New Rochelle). 2016 Mar 1;5(3):119-136.
Extracellular Matrix and Dermal Fibroblast Function in the Healing Wound.
Tracy LE(1), Minasian RA(1), Caterson EJ(1).
Author information:
(1)Division of Plastic Surgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical
School , Boston, Massachusetts.
Significance: Fibroblasts play a critical role in normal wound healing. Various
extracellular matrix (ECM) components, including collagens, fibrin, fibronectin,
proteoglycans, glycosaminoglycans, and matricellular proteins, can be considered
potent protagonists of fibroblast survival, migration, and metabolism. Recent
Advances: Advances in tissue culture, tissue engineering, and ex vivo models have
made the examination and precise measurements of ECM components in wound healing
possible. Likewise, the development of specific transgenic animal models has
created the opportunity to characterize the role of various ECM molecules in
healing wounds. In addition, the recent characterization of new ECM molecules,
including matricellular proteins, dermatopontin, and FACIT collagens
(Fibril-Associated Collagens with Interrupted Triple helices), further
demonstrates our cursory knowledge of the ECM in coordinated wound healing.
Critical Issues: The manipulation and augmentation of ECM components in the
healing wound is emerging in patient care, as demonstrated by the use of
acellular dermal matrices, tissue scaffolds, and wound dressings or topical
products bearing ECM proteins such as collagen, hyaluronan (HA), or elastin. Once
thought of as neutral structural proteins, these molecules are now known to
directly influence many aspects of cellular wound healing. Future Directions: The
role that ECM molecules, such as CCN2, osteopontin, and secreted protein, acidic
and rich in cysteine, play in signaling homing of fibroblast progenitor cells to
sites of injury invites future research as we continue investigating the
heterotopic origin of certain populations of fibroblasts in a healing wound.
Likewise, research into differently sized fragments of the same polymeric ECM
molecule is warranted as we learn that fragments of molecules such as HA and
tenascin-C can have opposing effects on dermal fibroblasts.
DOI: 10.1089/wound.2014.0561
PMCID: PMC4779293
PMID: 26989578
