Abstract
Wound healing results in the repair of injured tissues however fibrosis and scar formation are, more often than not the unfortunate consequence of this process. The ability of lower order vertebrates and invertebrates to regenerate limbs and tissues has been all but lost in mammals; however, there are some instances where glimpses of mammalian regenerative capacity do exist. Here we describe the unlocked potential that exists in mammals that may help us understand the process of regeneration post-injury and highlight the potential role of the actin cytoskeleton in this process. The precise function and regulation of the cytoskeleton is critical to the success of the healing process and its manipulation may therefore facilitate regenerative healing. The gelsolin family of actin remodelling proteins in particular has been shown to have important functions in wound healing and family member Flightless I (Flii) is involved in both regeneration and repair. Understanding the interactions between different cytoskeletal proteins and their dynamic control of processes including cellular adhesion, contraction and motility may assist the development of therapeutics that will stimulate regeneration rather than repair.
Highlights
Tissue repair is a dynamic and complex process triggered in response to injury
Mammals have limited regenerative capacity when compared to the epimorphic regeneration seen in lower order vertebrates and invertebrates, there remains instances in which regenerative healing can occur, returned full structure and function to the injured tissue
As well as select tissues displaying this capacity, such as the liver, oral mucosa, hair follicles and the tissues of the fingertip, fetal wounds heal with scar free restoration, due in a large part, to differential organization of the cellular cytoskeleton
Summary
Tissue repair is a dynamic and complex process triggered in response to injury. When damage occurs to the skin the primary goal is to re-establish the external barrier to protect against bacterial infection and prevent fluid and temperature loss. While mammals have significantly limited regenerative capacity when compared to lower order vertebrates and invertebrates there are instances of regenerative strategies existing both in developing and mature tissues [2±4]. Understanding the relationship between the actin cytoskeleton and tissue regeneration will provide insights into the repair process and potentially facilitate new approaches to improve healing. Lower order vertebrates and invertebrates, such as salamanders and sea stars are capable of complete limb replacement, known as epimorphic regeneration (Figure 1), mammals have lost the capacity to regenerate tissues post injury and repair strategies are the best that can be done and more often than not result in scar formation [1]. The expectation exists that mammalian regeneration is a viable possibility as there are instances where regenerative strategies are observed during wound healing both in developing and mature tissues [1±3]
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