Tetraploidization is a physiological enhancer of wound healing

To investigate the role of chromosomal alterations in the process of wound healing on the cellular level, we analyzed biopsies from well-healing (10) and chronic defect (8) wounds. Classical chromosome preparation and fluorescence in situ hybridization were performed with cultured cells and smear preparations. Results from both techniques showed an unusual high rate of tetraploid cells (4 n) in granulation tissue of well-healing wounds (6.5-60%), whereas we found only a low amount of tetraploid cells (from 0 to 5.5%) in chronic wounds. In fibroblast control cultures, there was a percentage of 2-5.5%. In chromosome preparations, we noticed an increased number of nonclonal structural and numerical chromosome aberrations in both well-healing and chronic wounds. Our data show clearly that especially tetraploidization is a typical phenomenon in the well-healing wound, where it apparently supports the healing process.