[Experimental study of temporal expression of endogenous TGF alpha in partial thickness scalded wounds]

Investigating spatial and temporal expression and distribution of endogenous TGF alpha, and clarifying its role in burn wound healing. Immunohistochemical and mRNA dot blot hybridization approaches were adopted. Thermal injury can induce TGF alpha gene expression. The expression peaks at the time when repair cells migrate and proliferate most actively, and declines on near completion of epithelialization. Otherwise, the mRNA expression of EGF receptor manifests the same change as TGF alpha's. Immunohistochemical investigation indicates that TGF alpha is mainly distributed in the survived hair follicles and reepithelialized cell layers, and the immunoreactive staining is proportional to epidermal cell growth and migration. Thermal injury can induce endogenous TGF alpha and EGF receptor expression, which is well controlled and correlated with the migration and proliferation of keratinocytes. Endogenous TGF alpha plays a positive role in regulation of wound healing.