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Wound Care - Healing:
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Healing occurs by either
repair or regeneration. With repair, the damaged tissue
is replaced by scar tissue, which does not function, either
mechanically or physiologically, like the tissue it is
replacing. When regeneration occurs, the tissue that replaces
the damaged tissue behaves just like the tissue it has
replaced. |
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Recently the role of
growth factors in the healing process has received considerable
attention, prompting the use of autologous platelet-derived
growth factors in the treatment of chronic non-healing
ulcers. Polypeptide growth factors are a class of biologic
mediators that promote cell proliferation, alone or in
concert, by binding to specific cell surface receptors.
The number of known growth factors is extensive and each
has been reported to accelerate the formation of various
components in wound healing. Platelets are known to release
certain factors from alpha granules, four of which have
been identified. These include platelet-derived angiogenesis
factor, which causes new capillary formation from the
existing microvasculature; platelet-derived growth factor
(PDGF), which is a potent fibroblast mitogen and chemoactive;
platelet-derived epidermal growth factor; and platelet
factor 4, considered to be a chemo-attractant for neutrophils. |
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