EXPERIMENTAL ANIMAL MODELS IN WOUND HEALING RESEARCH: MECHANISMS, APPLICATIONS, AND LIMITATIONS

Abstract

The skin is the largest organ of the human body and acts as a critical barrier, protecting underlying tissues from water loss and external threats such as pathogens. However, in performing this role, it is often exposed to a wide range of injuries - including mechanical trauma, thermal burns, chemical exposure, ischemia, and infections. Modelling these diverse injury types in animal studies enhances our understanding of wound healing mechanisms. This article presents a focused overview of commonly used experimental animal models in wound healing research, outlining their mechanisms, applications, and limitations. Rodents, pigs, and non-human primates are frequently employed to replicate different types of skin injury and are essential for uncovering the cellular and molecular processes involved in tissue repair. In addition to standard models, specialized approaches for diabetic, infected, ischemic, and immunosuppressed wounds as well as biomaterial-based models for evaluating regenerative therapies are discussed. The review is based on recent publications retrieved from databases such as Google Scholar, PubMed, and Web of Science. Key considerations in model selection such as ethical principles, cost-effectiveness, and translational relevance are examined. The review also summarizes established methods for evaluating wound healing such as macroscopic observation, histological analysis, molecular assays, and imaging techniques applied both globally and in Turkey. Finally, emerging technologies are highlighted for their potential to improve physiological relevance and accelerate clinical translation.