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Role of Schwann cells in cutaneous wound healing
Author(s) -
Silva Walison N.,
Leonel Caroline,
Prazeres Pedro H. D. M.,
Sena Isadora F. G.,
Guerra Daniel A. P.,
Heller Debora,
Diniz Ivana M. A.,
Fortuna Vitor,
Mintz Akiva,
Birbrair Alexander
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
wound repair and regeneration
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.847
H-Index - 109
eISSN - 1524-475X
pISSN - 1067-1927
DOI - 10.1111/wrr.12647
Subject(s) - wound healing , myofibroblast , wound closure , medicine , schwann cell , skin repair , pathology , immunology , fibrosis
Dermal wound healing is the process of repairing and remodeling skin following injury. Delayed or aberrant cutaneous healing poses a challenge for the health care system. The lack of detailed understanding of cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in this process hampers the development of effective targeted treatments. In a recent study, Parfejevs et al.—using state‐of‐the‐art technologies, including in vivo sophisticated Cre/loxP techniques in combination with a mouse model of excisional cutaneous wounding—reveal that Schwann cells induce adult dermal wound healing. Strikingly, genetic ablation of Schwann cells delays wound contraction and closure, decreases myofibroblast formation, and impairs skin re‐epithelization after injury. From a drug development perspective, Schwann cells are a new cellular candidate to be activated to accelerate skin healing. Here, we summarize and evaluate recent advances in the understanding of Schwann cells roles in the skin microenvironment.