Using a Radial Diffusion Method to Investigate the Role of Plasmin Degradation of Fibrin in a Physical Model of an Early-phase Wound.

Background: Fibrin clot formation, which acts to stabilize a wound following injury, is among the key early aspects of dermal wound healing. This preliminary matrix is eventually degraded via a process known as fibrinolysis and replaced with a collagen-rich matrix that continues to be remodeled to minimize scarring. Disruptions in these carefully coordinated events lead to certain undesirable conditions such as fibrosis and the formation of abnormal scars that are associated with excess amounts of collagen.