Fibronectin in acute and chronic wounds

Fibronectin, a fibrillar glycoprotein, is the major adhesive protein deposited at the wound interface during acute wound healing. Its abilities to interact with both cells and matrix are responsible for its description and characterization as a multifunctional adhesive glycoprotein. Fibronectin functions to promote cell adhesion, cell shape and spreading, organization of the cytoskeleton, hemostasis and thrombosis, cell migration, and phagocytosis. Both in vitro and in vivo studies indicate that fibronectin interacts with cells important to wound healing, including platelets, neutrophils, monocytes, fibroblasts, endothelial cells, and epidermal cells. It promotes adhesion between cells and between cell and matrix, cell spreading, migration, chemotaxis, phagocytosis, and matrix and basement membrane organization. Fibronectin is consequently active during each stage of wound healing. Its importance in acute wound healing is now widely recognized. More recently, investigators have begun to study fibronectin's role in chronic wounds. This article briefly reviews fibronectin, outlines its role in wound healing, and discusses current research on fibronectin in chronic wounds.