Abstract
Summary
When young adult guinea pigs bearing linear laparotomy wounds which had healed under normal conditions for 6 weeks were subjected to an ascorbic acid-free dietary regimen for approximately 26 days, severe changes were observed in the scar tissue area. The changes consisted of fibroblastic proliferation, regression of connective tissue elements, and of hemorrhages. The wounds of pair-fed and ad lib. control animals presented normal healing. The results indicate that adequate ascorbic acid intake is required not only for normal healing in the early post wound period but also for the maintenance of the scar tissue which has formed in healed wounds over a period of many weeks.
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