Some Observations on the Distant Collagen Response to Wound Healing in Young and Old Rats

Abstract

The literature on the reactions to wound healing is reviewed and it is concluded that a local response is beyond doubt, although its exact mechanism remains to be fully clarified. The systemic reaction has been questioned by several authors, but especially experiments using biochemical methods, confirm the hypothesis of a distant collagen response to wound healing. In the present study the stress-strain relationship and the denaturing temperature for rat skin and the thermal reactivity of rat tail tendons from intact and wounded young and old rats were investigated. The findings are discussed in relation to the behaviour of non-genital collagen during the early post-partum period, when drastic changes occur in the collagen of the genital tract. It is concluded that in both cases a systemic reaction occurs, and as far as the thermal reactivity is concerned incisional wounds make the distant collagen “younger” and parturition makes it “older”. It is concluded that a distant collagen response to trauma occurs, but that the pattern and underlying mechanisms remain to be elucidated.