Emerging evidence for the essential role of hyaluronan in cutaneous biology

Jun Muto1, Koji Sayama1, Richard L Gallo2

  • 1Department of Dermatology, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Toon, Japan.

Hyaluronan (HA), a linear non-sulfated glycosaminoglycan, participates in a variety of biological processes in the skin, such as cell-matrix interactions and activation of chemokines/cytokines, enzymes, and growth factors. In these activation events, HA acts as a damage-associated molecular pattern (DAMP). This review discusses the progress in functional research on HA, and its associated factors, in several aspects of cutaneous biology; e.g., immunity and wound repair.

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