Dentistry Commons^™

Underlying Mechanisms Regulating Gingival Healing And Fibrosis, Shawna Soheun Kim

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Successful wound healing involves tightly controlled regulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition and remodeling, and myofibroblast-mediated wound contraction, to restore normal tissue function. However, these events involved in healing are also associated with development of tissue fibrosis, which is characterized by excessive deposition of ECM and the presence of myofibroblasts. Increasing evidence suggests that periostin is a critical player in regulating skin healing and fibrosis. In contrast to most adult tissues, gingival connective tissue is known to heal more rapidly and with less scarring, yet is still associated with fibrosis, such as drug-induced gingival enlargement. The aim of this study …