ABSTRACT
The extracellular matrix (ECM) components play important roles in every step of wound healing processes by providing both scaffold support and signaling roles. They promote cell adhesion and migration during wound repair. They mediate the interactions between cells, cells and matrices, as well as matrix proteins. They also serve as reservoir and modulator for growth factors. For example, shortly after tissue injury, inflammatory cells need to interact with and migrate through the basement membrane ECM of the blood vessels to come to the site of the injury. During the reepithelialization, the ECM provides tracks and signals for epithelial keratinocytes to migrate on the wound surface matrix and reestablish the skin cover. ECM proteins play critical roles in the granulation tissue formation, including angiogenesis and matrix formation, which contribute to the reestablishment of dermis. Most remarkably, the formation of functional basement membrane in dermal–epidermal junction, by ECM protein interactions, is essential for connecting epidermis to dermis and is crucial to restore the integrity and function of the skin.
