Relationship between lymphangiogenesis and exudates during the wound-healing process of mouse skin full-thickness...

We considered the relationship among exudate, wound area, angiogenesis, lymphangiogenesis, and reepithelialization during wound healing. Full-thickness wounds were made on the dorsum of mice. The weight of exudate absorbed into the dressing as well as the wound area was determined daily. Sections of the wounds were stained with anti-LYVE-1 and CD31 antibodies. Indian ink was injected into the wound for observing the movement of the exudate on days 3, 5, and 7 after wounding. New epithelium completely covered the wound on day 11. The quantity of exudate peaked on day 1, and then rapidly decreased until it was undetectable on day 11. Most of the Indian ink injected into the wound was retained within the wound and did not flow into the surrounding tissue. New blood vessels showed a uniform distribution in the granulation tissue on day 5. New lymphatics appeared in the granulation tissue approximately 2 days later than the blood vessels and they were distributed toward the center of the granulation tissue on day 11. Thus, reduction of exudate from the wound appears to be related to blood vessels, not lymphatics. However, increasing lymphatics may play a role in the late phase of the wound-healing process.