Cell Migration in Wound Healing

Cell motility in wound healing is critical for tissue regeneration and the restoration of the skin’s physical barrier. Cells are able to meticulously organise themselves through orchestrated events during the natural wound healing cascade when succumbed to trauma; however, diseased states such as diabetes are implicated in interrupting the natural progression of wound closure, subsequently resulting in a chronic, non-healing wound that is unable to progress past the inflammation stage. Much has recently been discovered towards a better understanding of the biological mechanisms underpinning complex wound healing pathways, yet much still remains to be realised. To this end, various wound healing assays have been developed in the hope that researchers will shed light on the complex environments within wounds. With this, wound healing models could be used to improve disease treatment and wound management therapies, helping to alleviate the physical, social, and economic burdens associated with wound care worldwide. This chapter first introduces the basic anatomy of skin and its components, referring to the organisation of the epidermis, dermis, and hypodermis. The natural wound healing cascade is then discussed and implications that arise due to trauma or disease during this biological process are highlighted in depth with chronic, non-healing wounds being of particular focus. Mechanisms of single and collective cell migration are discussed throughout in both healthy and diseased states, and you will also learn about the standard assays that are used in vitro, in vivo, and ex vivo towards the assessment of cell migration in wound healing, with reference to current progress in the field.