Abstract:

Autophagy, a complex and tightly regulated process, is considered the second type of programmed cell death. It eliminates damaged or harmful intracellular components to maintain nutrient and energy homeostasis and functions as a protective mechanism against organisms. Autophagy mainly contributes to defense, metabolism, and quality control in mammals. In recent years, the prevalence of wound-healing defects and chronic wounds has considerably increased, which may be attributed to factors such as aging and diabetes. Moreover, the increased incidence of nonhealing wounds significantly reduces the quality of life of patients and imposes a massive financial burden on the healthcare system. Despite being widely adopted in clinical practice, symptomatic treatment generally results in unsatisfactory outcomes, mainly due to the lack of comprehensive understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying wound healing. Although several studies have demonstrated the involvement of autophagy in almost all stages of wound healing, specific mechanisms for the same are under investigation. This study reviewed the relevant processes and regulation of autophagy along with the progress and breakthroughs made in the research on wound healing.

Key words: Autophagy, Wound healing, Wounds