ABSTRACT
Tissue loss o r dam age in ad u lt anim als initiates the w o u n d healing process th a t involves a series o f con tro lled events resu lting in tissue repair o r scarring. C om ple te regeneration is only seldom observed an d the site o f the original w o u n d is d istinguished from the non-dam aged tissue even weeks, m onths o r som etim es years after the initial event. In cases where inflam m ation con tinues o r healing does n o t follow th e o rd inary sequence, the w o u n d becom es chron ic and healing can lead to localized fibrosis. T h e roles o f epithelial cells in th e w o und healing process have been expanded from m echanical coverage o f the w o u n d to active partic ipation in the control o f the inflam m atory process. T here is som e evidence tha t epithelial cells m ay contribute to th e fo rm ation o f granulation tissue d u rin g th e later phase o f w ound healing and also play a role in th e fo rm ation o f n onhealing w ounds. T h is is evidenced from clinical observations d em o n stra tin g th a t skin w o unds th a t have delayed reepithelialization are m ore likely to becom e chron ic n onhealing w ounds th an those in w hich epithelial m igration proceeds at th e n o r m al rate. T h e purpose o f this review is to cover th e m echanism s o f epithelial cell m igration in
Cell Invasion, ed ited by Jyrki H e in o an d V eli-M atti Kähäri. © 2002 E urekah.com .
