109 citations
,
December 2003 in “American Journal of Pathology” This study observed that the ontogenetic transition from scarless repair in early fetal rat wounds to scar-forming repair in late gestation is associated with differential TGF-β ligand and receptor expression patterns.
79 citations
,
January 2018 in “Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews-Developmental Biology” This review discusses the experimental targets of fetal wound healing and evaluates existing therapies for scarless healing in adult skin, but reports no new research findings.
10 citations
,
April 2008 in “Journal of Pediatric Surgery” In this study, researchers found that the absence of P-selectin delays inflammatory cell recruitment and reepithelialization in fetal wounds, although scar formation still occurs in later gestation wounds.
21 citations
,
October 2007 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology” Fetuin-A helps wounds heal without scars by promoting cell movement.
5 citations
,
July 2023 in “World Journal of Stem Cells” In a study using a rat model, researchers developed injectable hydrogels from antler reserve mesenchyme which enhanced regenerative healing of full-thickness cutaneous wounds by creating a fetal-like niche that increased stem cell presence and modulated gene expression related to wound healing.
89 citations
,
January 2009 in “Advances in Clinical Chemistry” This review discusses the differences in wound healing between fetal and adult skin, highlighting the potential to uncover genes for scarless repair that could improve adult wound healing.
41 citations
,
September 2005 in “Wound Repair and Regeneration” This study found that hydrogen peroxide interfered with scarless healing in a murine fetal wound repair model, potentially by inducing transforming growth factor-beta1, which may contribute to increased fibrosis.
71 citations
,
September 2006 in “Cell Transplantation” This study concludes that fetal skin cells can significantly enhance wound healing and reduce scarring when used to treat severe burns and various wounds in children.
3 citations
,
July 2023 in “International Journal of Biological Macromolecules” In this study, the researchers developed a hydrogel mimicking the fetal environment that significantly accelerated wound healing and hair follicle regeneration in vivo, with over 94% wound closure in 14 days, surpassing hydrogels lacking certain additives.
35 citations
,
October 2017 in “Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy” This study found that fibromodulin significantly reduces scar formation and boosts scar strength in rodent and porcine models, suggesting potential for FMOD-based therapies in cutaneous wound repair.
9 citations
,
August 2024 in “Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine” In this study, researchers suggest that strategic early intervention during fetal wound healing could lead to significantly improved long-term skin regeneration outcomes.
April 2023 in “Journal of Investigative Dermatology”
June 2024 in “International journal of biological macromolecules” This study reports that beta-glucan hybrid hydrogels, reinforced with laponite nanoclay, showed promising results in rat models for managing hemorrhage and diabetic wound healing by enhancing hemostasis, reducing inflammation, and promoting faster wound closure and tissue regeneration.
69 citations
,
September 1991 in “Journal of Surgical Research” This review highlights the unique scarless wound healing abilities of fetuses and discusses potential applications to adult wound healing, reporting no new experimental findings.
64 citations
,
August 2013 in “Mayo Clinic Proceedings” This review discusses current concepts in wound repair and suggests that these evolving paradigms might also explain regenerative processes in various organ systems, but it reports no new research findings.
2 citations
,
September 2019 in “Romanian Journal of Pediatrics” This review discusses the unique features of fetal wound healing that may enable scarless repair and reports no new experimental findings.
This historical review discusses the ancient Egyptians' advanced wound-healing techniques, including the use of honey and moldy bread, and reports no new clinical results.
January 2007 in “The Year book of surgery” Mast cells and VEGF contribute to post-surgery adhesions, and blocking VEGF can reduce these adhesions; also, certain factors affect wound healing and fetal skin heals differently with age.
99 citations
,
January 2002 in “Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery” In this study, fetal rat wounds at gestational age 16 days healed without scar formation and resembled normal skin architecture, unlike those at 18 days which resulted in scarring and lack of hair follicles.
40 citations
,
January 2009 in “Skin Pharmacology and Physiology” This review discusses the potential use of cultured primary fetal cells from a single organ donation to produce therapeutic products, emphasizing the need for process consistency and safety verification, but reports no clinical results.
2 citations
,
July 2025 in “Cells” This study reports that human adipose-derived stem cells cultured with platelet lysate instead of fetal bovine serum demonstrate enhanced stress resistance, reduced cellular aging, and faster wound healing in mice, due in part to upregulated stress response and proliferation genes.
1 citations
,
November 2017 This chapter reviews classic regeneration models in planarian worms and amphibian limbs, focusing on the role of stem cells, and reports no new experimental results.
January 2003 in “Zhonghua shaoshang zazhi” In this study, murine fetal epidermal stem cells successfully formed new hair follicle structures when cografted with folliculus pili cells in nude mice.
4 citations
,
February 2016 in “Experimental Dermatology” The researchers concluded that blocking α1-integrin altered adhesion and enhanced migration in adult fibroblasts, suggesting its potential as a target for therapies aimed at reducing fibrosis.
16 citations
,
February 2007 in “Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery” This study found that keratinocytes show increased expression of the TGF-β system and collagen type I with age, suggesting a heightened profibrotic response during skin differentiation associated with scarring.
10 citations
,
July 2011 in “Wound Repair and Regeneration” This article proposes several potential approaches for scar prevention and therapy, including anti-transforming growth factor-β strategies and tissue-engineered skin, but reports no new clinical results.
January 2026 in “Preprints.org” This review explores current knowledge on fibroblast lineage specification and its impact on scar-free wound healing, noting that early fetal skin fibroblasts support regeneration, while later developmental shifts lead to fibrosis, highlighting potential strategies to reprogram adult fibroblasts for regenerative repair.
September 2019 in “Romanian Journal of Pediatrics” This article discusses the unique regenerative healing process in fetal skin that can occur without scarring, highlighting potential therapeutic targets to reduce fibrosis in postnatal wound healing.
11 citations
,
March 2020 in “Immunology” This study reports that immunologically inert and skewed immune cell populations in developing human skin may contribute to wound healing and structural changes during skin development.
13 citations
,
December 2012 in “Cells” This study describes how manipulating the actin cytoskeleton, particularly through the gelsolin family proteins, may enhance regenerative healing in mammals, suggesting potential therapeutic pathways for improved wound repair.