New understanding of "wavy wounds" may make for faster post-op healing

For some time now, it has been observed that wounds with a zig-zag pattern heal faster than those which simply form a straight line. Scientists have now determined why this is the case, and their findings could change the ways in which surgical incisions are made.
Led by Prof. K Jimmy Hsia, a team at Singapore's Nanyang Technological University started out with a micro-patterned hydrogel, the surface of which was seeded with Madin-Darby canine kidney cells. Although these cells are obtained from dog kidneys, they are epithelial cells of the type that are also found in the skin.