What can wound fluids tell us about the venous ulcer microenvironment?

Research into the healing of venous leg ulcers is increasing as they are a common problem. The wound fluid bathing an ulcer is thought to reflect the wound microenvironment, and the properties of wound fluids have been studied in attempts to find ways to promote healing. After a brief summary of normal wound healing, this article reviews some of the research that has been carried out on venous ulcer wound fluid, with respect to its biochemistry, proteolytic nature, growth factor profile, and effects on cell cultures. Some of the problems and pitfalls inherent in performing and interpreting wound fluid studies are discussed. Finally, a proposal is made for standardizing research on wound fluids that would improve comparisons between different studies.