Candidate diseases that may be cured or ameliorate with this strategy include hemophilia, familial hypercholesterolemia, ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency, Crigler Najjar syndrome, and alpha1-antitrypsin deficiency. In The Fetus and Neonate. M.D. Fetuses in the first two thirds of gestation heal cutaneous wounds without scarring. The mechanisms underlying this phenomenon have profound clinical significance, yet are poorly understood. Our ongoing research has defined a number of fundamental differences between fetal and adult wounds.
Fetal wounds have a greater number of cells and different types of cells than adult wounds.
Compounds called cytokines that mediate scarring are abundant in adult wounds but are notably absent from fetal wounds. We have shown that adding these compounds to fetal skin can increase fibrosis, while blocking them in adult skin can decrease fibrosis. We hope that our increasing knowledge about the molecular and cellular mechanismsof scarless fetal repair will help us to manipulate scarring and fibrosis in our postnatal patients. All Rights Reserved.