Disorder of localized inflammation in wound healing: A systems perspective

Abstract

Wound healing is a well-coordinated concerted event in response to injury and its microenvironment, which aims at reinstating normal tissue homeostasis. Being a well-organized reparative biological event, it comprises of a cascade of events, which takes place in a sequential overlapping manner. Reductionism, as a guiding principle, is of great value where a quick and effective solution is required for an isolated problem. Reductionism is less helpful for complex systems such as the process of wound healing where interactions between components decides the final outcome and dysregulation of just one of the components can result in malfunctioning of the entire system. A comprehensive approach is necessary to understand the dynamics and interplay between various components, which shape the fate of the outcome towards a healing or a nonhealing wound. The current review highlights the multidimensional nature of the deregulation of diabetic wound inflammation, making it essential to understand the problems from systems perspective and not in a reductionist approach.