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Review
. 2020 Aug 5;12(8):735.
doi: 10.3390/pharmaceutics12080735.

Skin Wound Healing Process and New Emerging Technologies for Skin Wound Care and Regeneration

Erika Maria Tottoli  1 , Rossella Dorati  1 , Ida Genta  1 , Enrica Chiesa  1 , Silvia Pisani  2 , Bice Conti  1
Affiliations
Review

Skin Wound Healing Process and New Emerging Technologies for Skin Wound Care and Regeneration

Erika Maria Tottoli et al. Pharmaceutics. .

Abstract

Skin wound healing shows an extraordinary cellular function mechanism, unique in nature and involving the interaction of several cells, growth factors and cytokines. Physiological wound healing restores tissue integrity, but in many cases the process is limited to wound repair. Ongoing studies aim to obtain more effective wound therapies with the intention of reducing inpatient costs, providing long-term relief and effective scar healing. The main goal of this comprehensive review is to focus on the progress in wound medication and how it has evolved over the years. The main complications related to the healing process and the clinical management of chronic wounds are described in the review. Moreover, advanced treatment strategies for skin regeneration and experimental techniques for cellular engineering and skin tissue engineering are addressed. Emerging skin regeneration techniques involving scaffolds activated with growth factors, bioactive molecules and genetically modified cells are exploited to overcome wound healing technology limitations and to implement personalized therapy design.

Keywords: 3D bioprinting; chronic wounds; drug delivery; electrospinning; wound; wound healing.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Schematic representation of wound healing process with cells involved in each phase.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Stages of wound healing process: (a) physiological skin, (b) damaged skin, (c) skin undergoing wound healing process and (d) healed skin. Histological image, hematoxylin–eosin, 10×, bar: 20 µm, the red arrows highlight the named stages. Reproduction from: Dpt. Clinical–Surgical, Diagnostic and Pediatric Sciences, University of Pavia.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Schematic representation of Tissue (T), Infection (I), Moisture (M) and Epithelial (E) (TIME) concept.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Schematic representation of classical tissue engineering approach.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Hydrogel approach. Mixtures of biomaterial solutions, for example, chitosan, cellulose, polyethylene glycol, poly-caprolactone, etc., are mixed with the skin cells to generate hydrogel scaffolds.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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