Research news on Re-Epithelialization

Re-epithelialization is a wound-healing biological process in which epithelial cells migrate, proliferate, and differentiate to restore the integrity of an epithelial barrier after injury. Following tissue damage, keratinocytes or other epithelial cells at the wound edge undergo phenotypic changes, including loss of stable cell–cell and cell–matrix adhesions, cytoskeletal reorganization, and increased motility, enabling them to crawl over the provisional matrix. Concurrently, cell proliferation replenishes the epithelial cell pool, while basement membrane components are remodeled and reassembled. Re-epithelialization is tightly regulated by growth factors, cytokines, extracellular matrix signals, and mechanical cues, and is essential for re-establishing tissue homeostasis and barrier function.