Fibronectin: structure, function and significance in wound healing.

Several recent reports suggest a therapeutic role for topical application of autologous fibronectin in promoting healing of chronic skin and corneal ulcers. Fibronectin assists in wound healing by contributing to haemostasis, assisting in control of infection and debridement of wounds, and promoting re-epithelialisation, granulation tissue and ultimately a connective tissue of adequate tensile strength to repair the skin defect. The potential for fibronectin to be a therapeutic adjunct demands a close understanding of its structural and functional properties, and such knowledge, particularly emerging from research reported in the last five years, is reviewed.