WOUND HEALING IN SPECIFIC TISSUES

Every organ in the body can heal, except teeth. But there are differences in wound healing among the organs. Some of those differences...

liver
Liver
The liver responds to injury through complete parenchymal regeneration and/or scar formation, with the outcome dependent on the insult, its extent, and chronicity. Acute focal or zonal necrosis provokes hepatocyte regeneration whereas chronic liver injury produces both regeneration and fibrosis (aka cirrhosis).


kidneyKidney The kidney has a limited regenerative ability. Tubular epithelium regenerates when the injury is not extensive and the extracellular matrix has not been destroyed but in most situations there is at least some destruction of the extracellular matrix. Under such circumstances regeneration is incomplete and healing is characterized by scar formation.


lungsLungs Like the kidney, healing in the respiratory system largely depends on the integrity of the extracellular matrix. If it is not destroyed, the lung has excellent regenerative abilities. The tracheal and bronchial epithelium heals from adjacent tissue when the injuries are superficial and the aveolar is capable of complete regeneration depending on the extent of tissue damage and destruction of the extracellular matrix.


Heart Formation of granulated tissue and scarring are the end result of myocardial injury and lead to a reduction in contractility. Myocardial cells have no significant regenerative capability.


Nervous System The peripheral nervous systems has the ability for axonal regeneration but doesn't share that talent with the central nervous system. Mature neurons cannot divide. Damage to neuronal connections can only be repaired through regrowth and reorganization of the cell processes of surviving neurons.



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