The Roles of Activins in Repair Processes of the Skin and the Brain

The study demonstrated that activin A played a significant role in skin and brain repair processes. Transgenic mice overexpressing activin A showed enhanced wound healing, characterized by increased granulation tissue and re-epithelialization. These mice were smaller with thicker skin due to connective tissue replacement. In brain injury models, activin A expression was rapidly upregulated, and exogenous application of recombinant activin A rescued neurons from acute cell death. The findings suggested that activin A could be a target for developing new treatments for stroke and brain trauma.