Wound localization and housing conditions dictate repair dynamics and scar formation

Abstract

Wound healing is a highly orchestrated process involving diverse cells and molecular interplays. Although wound healing assays are commonly used in the field of tissue repair, these experiments exhibit high variability due to their multifactorial nature, with many design factors remaining understudied. Here we report that precise localization of the wound site as well as the housing conditions have a pivotal role in dictating the healing dynamics in mice. We explore these key factors and highlight overlooked aspects of the repair process. Wound healing assays are commonly used to study tissue repair in mice. The authors show that wound localization and housing conditions are critical factors that can affect the reliability and reproducibility of the results of this assay.