The myofibroblast and the anophthalmic socket.

One of the greatest advances in the understanding of wound healing was the identification and characterization of the myofibroblast by Gabbiani in 1971. Since that time this contractile cell has been found in the early stages of wound healing and in many pathologic states. In a recent study, the myofibroblast was found in healing and contracting anophthalmic sockets.