Studies on mRNA expression of basic fibroblast growth factor in wound healing for wound age determination.

We investigated the mRNA expression of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) for wound age determination during dermal, cerebral, hepatic and renal wound healing in mice. The bFGF mRNA expression in the injured skin peaked at 1 h and was detected in epidermal cells, fibroblasts, endothelial cells and neutrophils. In the injured cerebrum the expression increased from 1 h and peaked at 48 h. In the intact cerebrum, bFGF was detected exclusively in the endothelial cells, whereas it was also detected in astrocytes during wound healing. Time-dependent expression of bFGF mRNA in skin and cerebrum was considered to be useful for wound age determination. On the other hand it was suggested that bFGF mRNA in astrocytes could be a vital sign of the acute phase. In hepatic and renal injuries, however, bFGF mRNA expression increased slightly in endothelial cells at 24 h, in neutrophils of the liver and in the glomeruli of the kidneys.