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Evaluation Of Matricellular Proteins As Potential Therapeutics For The Treatment Of Human Chronic Skin Wounds, Christopher G. Elliott

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

There is currently an unmet need for treatments to enhance healing of human chronic skin wounds. Previously, therapy development has focused on growth factors and physical matrices, often resulting in disappointing clinical outcomes. In this thesis, we approached chronic skin wound treatment with a focus on fibrosis and matricellular proteins. Fibrosis is a pathological condition where tissue repair continues, unchecked, resulting in excess contraction, matrix accumulation and fibrogenic growth factor activity; features critically reduced in chronic skin wounds. Identifying factors that promote fibrosis may offer new therapeutic targets for use in chronic skin wounds. Two such factors are the matricellular …