Healing process

Homeostasis: the tissues are damaged and the homeostasis and coagulation phase begins. Pro-inflammatory cytokines are secreted that constrict blood vessels to decrease blood loss.

Inflammation: a network of fribine and fibronectin form a barrier to prevent external pathogens from entering the wound. There is a phagocytosis of neutrophils to kill microbes and eliminate pathogens at the wound site by secreting ROS (reactive oxygen specimens).

High oxygen consumption due to

increased inflammatory and stromal cells reduces oxygen tension in the tissues and leads to prolonged chronic hypoxia. Hypoxic responses mediated by a master transcription factor of oxygen homeostasis, hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1), have been shown to be critically involved in wound healing processes.

Proliferation: Approximately 2-3 days

after injury, the proliferation phase

begins and lasts approximately two

weeks. This phase focuses on restoring

the vascular network and granulation

and is therefore characterized by angiogenesis, fibroplasia, and re-epithelialization. Since nutrients and oxygen are needed during the wound repair process, it is important to restore the network of blood vessels.

Remodeling: Remodeling usually

begins about 2 to 3 weeks after an injury and lasts a year or more. In this final stage of wound healing, granulation tissue forms scar tissue that exhibits a progressive increase in its 

concentration of collagen fibers.