Exogenous Calreticulin Improves Diabetic Wound Healing

In 2012, a study was conducted using a diabetic mouse model to investigate the effects of exogenous calreticulin (CRT) on wound healing. The study found that topical application of CRT significantly reduced the time to complete wound closure by 5.6 days compared to untreated wounds. CRT also increased the rate of reepithelialization, the amount of granulation tissue, and induced the regrowth of pigmented hair follicles. In vitro, fibroblasts from diabetic mouse skin and human fibroblasts cultured under hyperglycemic conditions showed increased proliferation and migration in response to CRT. The study concluded that CRT could potentially be a therapeutic agent for the treatment of diabetic and other chronic wounds.