Extracellular matrix: a major partner of wound healing.

Wound healing defects constitute a major socio-economical problem in developed countries, especially because of the population ageing. Research of new therapeutics strategies able to decrease the duration of the treatments is strongly needed. In this context, a number of recent works demonstrated that extracellular matrix and its macromolecular constituents, or some of their fragments (matrikines), possess a number of modulating activities on the wound healing process. The present paper provides an update on recent data showing the importance of extracellular matrix in wound healing and on the new therapeutic strategies that they open.