Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a glycoprotein that enhances vascular permeability, induces chemotaxis and activation of monocytes/macrophages, and promotes growth of vascular endothelial cells. We report that infiltrating polymorphonuclear leukocytes in an incision wound in rat skin express VEGF from 1 day after the injury, as shown by immunohistochemistry. VEGF is also present in macrophages, fibroblast-like cells, and endothelial cells 3 and 7 days after the injury. mRNA for VEGF is statistically significantly increased in the wound area in the tissue 1 day after the skin incision compared with 3 and 7 days after the incision. The VEGF protein content in the wound tissue is statistically significantly higher in the wound than in control skin at 1 and 3 days after skin incision. Our results indicate that VEGF is produced by inflammatory cells to induce vascularization in the early stage of the wound healing process.

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