The growing role of eicosanoids in tissue regeneration, repair, and wound healing

• Tissue regeneration and repair occurs in a variety of physiologic systems.
• Bioactive lipids modulate numerous aspects of tissue repair and regeneration, with specific contributions to cell proliferation, differentiation, and angiogenesis.
• Pharmacologic modulation of eicosanoid pathways affects the outcomes of tissue regeneration, thereby providing a rationale for future therapeutics.

Tissue repair and regeneration are essential processes in maintaining tissue homeostasis, especially in response to injury or stress. Eicosanoids are ubiquitous mediators of cell proliferation, differentiation, and angiogenesis, all of which are important for tissue growth. Eicosanoids regulate the induction and resolution of inflammation that accompany the tissue response to injury. In this review, we describe how this diverse group of molecules is a key regulator of tissue repair and regeneration in multiple organ systems and biologic contexts.