Cell signals that trigger wound healing are surprisingly complex

In a sharp and pointy world, wound healing is a critical and marvelous process.

 

Despite a tremendous amount of scientific study, many outstanding mysteries still surround the way in which cells in living tissue respond to and repair physical damage.

 

One prominent mystery is exactly how wound-healing is triggered: A better understanding of this process is essential for developing new and improved methods for treating wounds of all types.

 

Using an ultrafast, ultraprecise ultraviolet laser, a team of physicists and biologists at Vanderbilt University has taken an important step toward understanding the nature of these trigger signals. Their new insights are described in a paper titled “Multiple mechanisms drive calcium signal dynamics around laser induced epithelial wounds” published Oct. 3 by the Biophysical Journal read more