The molecular basis of hypertrophic scars

Zhensen Zhu; Jie Ding; Edward E Tredget

doi:10.1186/s41038-015-0026-4

The molecular basis of hypertrophic scars

Burns Trauma. 2016 Jan 21:4:2. doi: 10.1186/s41038-015-0026-4. eCollection 2016.

Authors

Zhensen Zhu¹, Jie Ding², Edward E Tredget³

Affiliations

¹ Wound Healing Research Group, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta Canada ; Department of Burn and Reconstructive Surgery, 2nd Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, Guangdong China.
² Wound Healing Research Group, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta Canada.
³ Wound Healing Research Group, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta Canada ; Division of Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta Canada.

Abstract

Hypertrophic scars (HTS) are caused by dermal injuries such as trauma and burns to the deep dermis, which are red, raised, itchy and painful. They can cause cosmetic disfigurement or contractures if craniofacial areas or mobile region of the skin are affected. Abnormal wound healing with more extracellular matrix deposition than degradation will result in HTS formation. This review will introduce the physiology of wound healing, dermal HTS formation, treatment and difference with keloids in the skin, and it also review the current advance of molecular basis of HTS including the involvement of cytokines, growth factors, and macrophages via chemokine pathway, to bring insights for future prevention and treatment of HTS.

Keywords: Animal model; Cytokines; Growth factors; Hypertrophic scars; Macrophages; Stromal cell-derived factor 1/CXCR4 signaling.

Publication types

Review