Introduction: Keloids are pathological scars that are notorious for their chronic and relentless invasion into adjacent healthy skin, with commonly seen post-therapeutic recurrence after monotherapies.
Methods: An English literature review on keloid pathophysiology was performed by searching the PubMed, Embase and Web of Science databases, to find out the up-to-date relevant articles. The level of evidence was evaluated based on the included studies with the highest level of evidence first.
Results: Keloid morphology, signs, symptoms and the histopathological changes that occur in the local cells and extracellular matrix components are described. The theories on the pathophysiology of keloidogenesis that have been proposed to date are also covered; these include endocrinological, nutritional, vascular, and autoimmunological factors. In addition, we describe the local mechanical forces (and the mechanosignalling pathways by which these forces shape keloid cell activities) that promote keloid formation and determine the direction of invasion of keloids and the body sites that are prone to them.
Conclusion: A better understanding of this pathological entity, particularly its mechanobiology, will aid the development of new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for use in the clinic to prevent, reduce or even reverse the growth of this pathological scar.
Lay summary: Keloids are skin scars that are famous for their chronic invasion into healthy skin, with commonly seen recurrence after surgeries. Cells such as lymphocytes, macrophages, mast cells and endothelial cells are involved in keloid growth. Particularly, endocrinological, nutritional, vascular, autoimmunological and mechanical factors actively take part in keloid progression.
Keywords: Keloid; endothelial cells; extracellular matrix; inflammation; mechanobiology; mechanosignalling pathway.
© The Author(s) 2021.