Advances in wound healing physiology: the comparative perspective

Understanding of the processes involved in wound healing in vertebrates is increasing rapidly owing to the application of advances in cell and molecular biology, and in technology. The cellular mechanisms which result in some vertebrates having the ability to regenerate the dermis after injury, whereas in others it is replaced by scar tissue, are currently being explored with a view to restoring this regenerative ability by modulating the intercellular systems which control wound healing. This introductory review (a) compares and contrasts the response to injury of homoiothermic and poikilothermic animals and of foetal and post-natal mammals; (b) describes the mechanisms involved in cutaneous wound healing; (c) illustrates how the rate and quality of healing can be assessed non invasively and objectively, and (d) describes how cutaneous healing can be improved by the application of electrophysical modalities employing ultrasound and light.