ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the expression of M3 subtype of muscarinic receptors (M3R) during the incised wound healing of the skin in mice and the characteristics of its time-dependent.@*METHODS@#The change of M3R in skin incised wound was detected by immunohistochemical staining and Western blot.@*RESULTS@#M3R-positive cells were detected in epidermis, hair follicle, sebaceous glands, sweat glands, dermomuscular layer in normal mouse skin. Expression of M3R was mainly detectable in polymorphonuclear cells (PMNs) in the wound specimens aged from 6h to 12h after injury. Afterwards, the M3R-positive cells were mostly mononuclear cells (MNCs) and fibroblastic cells (FBCs) at 1 d to 3d post-injury, whereas the M3R-positive cells were mostly FBCs aged from 5 d to 14d. Morphometrically, the ratio of the M3R-positive cells increased aged from 6h to 12h after injury, with a peak at 12h. The ratios kept a high relatively level aged from 1 d to 5 d, but significantly that lowered as compared with aged 12h after injury. The ratio reached the peak at 7 d again after injury, and then decreased gradually. The M3R protein also revealed a time-dependent tendency with double peaks at 12h and 7 d after injury as detected by Western blotting.@*CONCLUSION@#M3R is time-dependently expression in PMNs, MNCs and FBCs suggesting that it may play roles during the skin incised wound healing, and M3R may be used as a marker for wound age determination.