ABSTRACT
Biomaterials have found application in cutaneous wound healing either as the basis of wound dressings or as platforms for the delivery of therapeutic agents into wounds. Increased wound epithelialization was …rst reported in pigs following application of occlusive dressings made from polyethylene …lms by Winter in 1962 and has led to the current practice of maintaining a moist wound environment to optimize wound healing. Since this time, much has been discovered on the mechanisms of wound healing to support this practice. This together with advances in biomaterial science and increased availability of a range of biocompatible materials has led to the development of modern products used for treatment of wounds today (Yudanova and Reshetov 2006, Singer and Dagum 2008). Still remaining, however, is the fundamental challenge of improving the healing of chronic wounds such as foot ulcers in diabetic patients (Greenhalgh 2003, Mekkes et al. 2003).
