Abstract:

BACKGROUND: At the process of wound healing, the epithelial cells and epidermal stem cells interactions is complicated which promoting the mechanisms of wound healing. The abnormities of any fine phase can be result in delayed healing or scarring.

OBJECTIVE: To summarize the characterization of epithelial cells and epidermal stem cells and their interaction in wound healing so that we can recognize the mechanisms of scarring from histomorphology, biochemistry and molecular variations.

METHODS: A computer-based online search of Pubmed Database was undertaken to identify the relevant articles on epithelial cell and epidermal stem cells interactions in wound healing and results in scarring published from 1974 to 2009 with the key words of “epithelial cells, epithelial stem cells, wound healing, keratinocytes, fibroblasts, hypertrophic scar, keloid” in English. At the same time, Chinese relevant articles were searched in China Journal Full-text Database (CJFD) published between 1999 and 2009 with the same key words in Chinese. A total of 43 articles were collected about the cell structure (3 articles), the cell interactions in wound healing and scarring (16 articles), the relevant on epithelial stem cells (24 articles).

RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The effect of different cells in epithelial tissue is known to all. The keratinocytes and fibroblasts had been on studying frequently, and their closely correlated to scarring. At present, the epithelial stem cells has been confirmed, but the relevant on their location, quality and specific epidermal markers are unclear which need to study and explore. With the rapidly development of science and technology, we maybe control the expression of cells by genic regulation not only culture the cells of our need but to prevent the scarring.