Abstract
Summary and conclusions
Repeated radial incisions which interrupt the horizontal integrity of the “picture frame” area of specialized cells in a full-thickness wound significantly decrease the rate of contraction of the wound edges. The rate of movement of a segment of advancing wound edge is retarded significantly by partially isolating such segments from the horizontally oriented picture frame cell mass. Rate of secondary wound contraction is not significantly different from rate of primary wound contraction. These data suggest that physical integrity of a horizontally oriented cell mass in the “picture frame” area of a contracting full-thickness skin wound exerts a measurable influence on rate of the contracting process.
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