ABSTRACT
Intensive research is being focused on unraveling the mechanisms that underlie scarless fetal skin wound repair. Recent advances in prenatal diagnosis initiated these endeavors. The ability to diagnose and repair congenital anomalies in utero, such as cleft lip, with scarless healing would revolutionize the field of reconstructive plastic surgery. Furthermore, if the biologic characteristics of scarless fetal skin healing are determined, these properties might be replicated in the adult environment with tremendous clinical benefits.
