THE
ROLE OF EPIDERMAL GROWTH FACTOR (EGF) IN WOUND HEALING
Ali TÜRKYILMAZ*,
Nevin ÇELEBI*, Bilge GÖNÜL** °
*Gazi University, Faculty
of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Technology,
06330 Etiler, Ankara, TURKEY. **Gazi
University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Phisiology,
06300, Besevler, Ankara, TURKEY.
°Corresponding Author
Summary:
The process of wound healing begins immediately following
surface lesions or when skin proteins become exposed to
radiation, chemical damage or extreme temperatures. Wound
repair requires close control of regerative process, involving
numerous cell types and complex interactions between multiple
biochemical cascades. Growth factors released in the traumatized
area promote cell migration into the wound area, stimulated
the growth of epithelial cells and fibroblasts, initiate
the formulation of new blood vessels (angiogenesis), and
remodeling of the effected region. Different human and
animal studies have shown that exogenously added growth
factors can accelerate that the normal healing process.
The growth factors have also been used succesfully in
humans to treat previously incurable wounds. The most
intensively studied growth factors are EGF, FGFs, PDGF,
TGF-? and TGF-?s. The process of wound healing and the
effects of EGF in wound healing has been discussed in
this review.
Keywords:
Wound healing, epidermal growth factor