Remodeling of skin nerve fibers during wound healing / 中国矫形外科杂志

ABSTRACT

[Objective]To observe changes of skin reinnervation during burn wound healing and determine remodeling of nerve fibers.[Method]Wound tissue and scars were harvested.Collagen was determined with modified Masson trichrome staining and nerve fibers were labeled with neuro filament protein by immunofluorescent technique.Three dimension reconstruction of nerve fibers regenerated was observed under laser scanning confocal microscope.[Result]The CVF(collagen volume fraction) increased during the process of wound healing.The regenerated nerve fibers were sparse,short and small,which was significant lower the normal control.The skin reinnervation improved during the wound healing process and came to peak NVF(nerve fiber volume fraction) in proliferative stage.Disintegration and fragmentation were observed frequently in samples from proliferative stage,which seldom occurred during mature stage.[Conclusion]The remodeling of skin nerve fibers comprises a sequential process of increasing number,shape distortion during wound healing and then disintegration,number decrease and normal shape.