CNS sterile injury: just another wound healing?

R Shechter, M Schwartz - Trends in molecular medicine, 2013 - cell.com
R Shechter, M Schwartz
Trends in molecular medicine, 2013cell.com
The poor recovery of the central nervous system (CNS) after injury, coupled with its complex
and immunologically-privileged nature, led to the belief that CNS repair is different from the
repair of other tissues. Here, we consider CNS repair from a novel perspective, suggesting
that CNS responses to injury resemble wound healing. Extrapolating the classical wound
healing model suggests that poor CNS recovery is an outcome of insufficient resolution of
interim reparative events that precede tissue regeneration and renewal, a state reminiscent …
The poor recovery of the central nervous system (CNS) after injury, coupled with its complex and immunologically-privileged nature, led to the belief that CNS repair is different from the repair of other tissues. Here, we consider CNS repair from a novel perspective, suggesting that CNS responses to injury resemble wound healing. Extrapolating the classical wound healing model suggests that poor CNS recovery is an outcome of insufficient resolution of interim reparative events that precede tissue regeneration and renewal, a state reminiscent of chronic/unresolved wounds. This comparison requires reevaluation of the inflammatory response, glial scarring, and barrier permeability, traditionally considered obstacles to CNS repair. Understanding the similarity to wound healing suggests new research directions and therapeutic avenues for CNS injuries.
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