R-Ras regulates vascular permeability, but not overall healing in skin wounds.

Wounds close by keratinocytes migrating from the edge of the wound and re-epithelializing the epidermis. It has been proposed that the major stimuli for wound closure are blood-derived growth factors, chemokines and cytokines. The small GTPase R-Ras, a known integrin activator, also regulates vascular permeability during angiogenesis, and blood vessels lacking R-Ras leak plasma proteins constantly.

Role of carbonic anhydrases in skin wound healing.

Skin wound closure occurs when keratinocytes migrate from the edge of the wound and re-epithelialize the epidermis. Their migration takes place primarily before any vascularization is established, that is, under hypoxia, but relatively little is known regarding the factors that stimulate this migration. Hypoxia and an acidic environment are well-established stimuli for cancer cell migration.