The Extracellular Matrix (ECM) and Wound Healing: A Review

The purpose of this article is to summarize current and historical literature demonstrating the role of the Extracellular Matrix (ECM) in the various stages of the wound healing cascade. ECM is a three-dimensional framework that is found in all human tissues. It is made up of a variety of proteins, including collagens, elastin, and minor amounts of structural proteins. The ECM has been shown in studies to aid in cellular adhesion, tissue anchoring, cellular signaling, and cell recruitment. The ECM is affected at times of integumentary injury or damage, whether acute or chronic. The ECM is created and ideally returned to its native condition by a series of overlapping activities known as the wound healing phases: hemostasis, inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling. The authors believe that more study should be done to not only use the structural components of the ECM but also to imitate the physiological structure.