Scarring results from injuries and disease in mammalian adults and can cause pain and loss of function in the afflicted tissues. This negative aspect of wound repair is not always true for certain amphibians and during fetal development of mammals. Based on this knowledge, scientists and clinicians are investigating the mechanisms and growth factors that contribute to or deter a suitable environment for wound healing. This review summarizes these aspects and challenges for scarless repair. One of the most intriguing perplexities of wound healing for mammals is understanding the elements that significantly impact scarring during injuries and repair. Scarring or fibrosis is the deposition of excess extracellular matrix (ECM), typically collagen, which impairs tissue or organ regeneration. Fibrosis can result from unexpected trauma or from genetic diseases such as Duchenne muscular dystrophy or cystic fibrosis. When this scarring occurs, mechanisms of wound repair, such as cell migration and proliferation, become impeded.
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