Fetal wound healing: current biology

Abstract

The early-gestation fetus heals dermal wounds rapidly and scarlessly. This phenomenon appears to be intrinsic to fetal skin and independent of the intrauterine environment. Unique properties of fetal cells, extracellular matrix, cytokine profile, and gene expression contribute to scarless repair. An intensive research effort has focused on unraveling the mechanisms that underlie scarless fetal wound healing in an attempt to improve the quality of healing in both children and adults.