Heparan sulphate proteoglycan and wound healing in skin.

Normal wound healing in skin embraces several reparative processes, many of which directly involve components of the extracellular matrix and the cutaneous basement membrane zone. Proteoglycans are a group of extracellular matrix macromolecules that have both structural and regulatory properties. In wound healing, certain proteoglycans fulfill a mechanical function of absorbing water and preventing tissue compression. However, proteoglycans may also have other roles in wound healing including a direct influence on inflammation, cell attachment and migration, and growth factor binding. Furthermore, proteoglycans may help to determine other aspects of the long-term quality of wound healing in skin through regulation of basement membrane permeability, epidermal hyperproliferation, and dermal fibrosis.