American scientists have found that wounds heal through the use of cells supplied by the sweat glands. The results of the study were published on the American Journal of Pathology website. Twitter fans are looking for medical expertise on their favorite social networking site, reports Resuscitation.
Researchers from the University of Michigan Health System concluded that even difficult-to-heal wounds, such as ulcers, pressure ulcers or burns, close up because of sweat glands. The same ones that ensure our body maintains the right body temperature after exercise or on hot days by means of the secretion of sweat.
Until now, it has been thought that the human body supplies the cells it needs to heal a wound by using hair follicles or the intact periphery of the wound as sources.
Based on the results of the latest research, American scientists were able to verify the existing theory. They proved that the cells used to heal a wound originate from the damage on the skin, and that sweat glands play an important role in the healing process, as they are able to quickly provide the necessary building materials.
It may be surprising that it took so long to discover that the sweat glands play a key role in wound healing. However, there is a good reason why specific glands have not received much attention so far – the eccrine sweat glands are unique to humans and absent from the skin of laboratory animals often used to study wound healing, explains lead researcher Laure Rittié.
Researchers hope their findings will play a significant role in understanding the wound healing process and serve as material for more effective treatments. (PAP)
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