Interest: Inflammation and angiogenesis in wound repair
Tissue repair is highly ordered series of events that includes hemostasis, inflammation,
tissue regrowth, and remodeling. An important component of normal wound healing
is the generation of an inflammatory reaction, which features the arrival of
a large number of leukocytes. Most scientists and clinicians are well aware
that leukocytes prevent infection at sites of injury. However, leukocytes also
modulate the cellular proliferation and tissue regrowth that occurs during normal
healing. Many studies suggest that an appropriate leukocyte response is essential
for optimal wound healing, an improper inflammatory response is a common feature
of unsatisfactory wound healing. Dr. DiPietro's laboratory studies how
leukocytes are recruited to sites of injury, and how leukocytes influence tissue
regeneration in wounds. These studies focus on the relative importance of specific
leukocyte types, such as neutrophils and macrophages, within wounds. These
studies may lead to a new understanding of the role of inflammatory cells in
impaired healing.
As inflammation resolves in the wound, cellular proliferation and extracellular
matrix synthesis occurs during a proliferative phase. One important component
of the proliferative phase is angiogenesis, or the growth of new blood vessels. In
the healing wound, angiogenesis is strictly controlled, and the initial burst
of capillary growth is followed by a regression of excess vessels. Ongoing investigations
in Dr. DiPietro's lab examine the regulation of angiogenesis in healing wounds. In
particular, the lab studies the mechanism by which the oversupply of newly formed
capillaries is pruned back to a normal vascular density. These studies
have clinical implications for the treatment of poorly healing or non-healing
wounds. In a broader sense, this research applies not only to wound healing,
but also to the regulation of angiogenesis and cellular proliferation in pathologic
states.
