The histology of human granulating wounds.

1. The prime aim of this study was to investigate the structure and cellularity of human granulation tissue, by the taking of punch biopsies from clinical wounds, a method not previously reported in wound research. It was intended both to further the understanding of wound biology, and to provide baseline information for clinical trials of therapeutic agents, such as dressing materials and growth factors. 2. To evaluate the validity of the universally used animal models of wound healing, and the extent to which data from them can be extrapolated to the human wound. 3. To relate histological criteria to the progress of wound healing as observed clinically, in both normally healing and unhealthy wounds. This might allow diagnosis of difficult healing problems to be made by biopsy, and also has relevance to wound biology in providing circumstantial evidence of cell function. 4. To compare conventional and immunocytochemical staining techniques in identification of cell types in human granulation tissue. 5. As a particular area of interest, to clarify the role of the myofibroblast in wound contraction by identification of a suitable marker for this cell in human granulation tissue, and by examining the temporal relationship between myofibroblast presence and wound contraction.