Growth factors: therapeutic advances in wound healing.

Polypeptide growth factors regulate cellular processes involved in wound healing. Application of exogenous growth factors can modify the healing process and, with recombinant DNA technology, growth factors can now be made in sufficient quantity to be used therapeutically. Several growth factors are showing promising results in clinical trials, especially in cases of impaired healing, such as chronic ulcers. Preclinical studies indicate that further growth factors may have therapeutic potential in a wide range of wound-healing applications. The use of specifically designed and modified growth factors, growth-factor inhibitors, and sequential and combinatorial dosing regimes offer further possibilities for enhancing wound healing.