The roles of receptor tyrosine kinases and their ligands in the wound repair process

Cutaneous wound repair is a tightly regulated and dynamic process involving blood clotting, inflammation, formation of new tissue, and tissue remodeling. Gene expression profiling of mouse and human wounds as well as first proteomics studies have identified a large number of genes and proteins that are up- or downregulated by skin injury, and some of them have been functionally characterized in animal models of wound repair. Among the key regulators of wound repair are growth factors, which control migration, proliferation, differentiation and survival of cells at different stages of the healing process. This review summarizes the results of functional studies performed in mammals that have identified important roles of receptor tyrosine kinases and their ligands in wound repair.

► Wound healing studies in genetically modified mice revealed important roles of growth factors in wound repair.
► Growth factors acting via receptor tyrosine kinases control different cell types in the healing skin wound.
► Abnormal expression or stability of growth factors or their receptors is associated with impaired wound healing.