Scientia Sinica

THE FORMATION OF NEW EPIDERMAL CELLS DURING THE PROCESS OF WOUND-HEALING ON THE RABBIT’S EAR * +

Ma Wen-Cuao (3c88 )

(Department of Anatomy, Peking Medical Institute)

There are ordinarily two theories regarding the origin of the newly formed epidermal cells during the process of wound-healing. One holds that they are derived from the pre-existing epidermis or remnants of hair follicles through mitotic or amitotic cell divisions, while the other stresses the migration of surrounding epidermal cells. Nevertheless, both the two theories are based on the same hypothesis that newly formed epidermal cells are derived fromthe pre-existing epidermal cells.

Academician O. B. Lepeshinskaya has already proved with facts the theory of the origin of cells from the living substance. “On the basis of these observations”, she writes, “we finally come to the conclusion that the origin of the cells from the process of cell division is certainly undeniable, but as regards the origin of new cells, it is more correct to say that all cells do not come from cells, but from protoplasm." Thus we may expect to observe during the

process of new formation of cells that some cells originate from protoplasm

while others from other cells by means of cell division. At the very begining, cells would develop from protoplasm, but after these cells have already formed, mitotic division would follow.

During wound-healing, newly formed epidermal cells appear on the margin of the wound or in front of-the pre-existing epidermis. In this region it would be possible to observe the whole process of the formation of new epidermal cells. On this assumption the present work is carried out by a series of observations and experiments on animal tissues.

MateriaL AND MeETHOopD

The skin of the ear and on the back of rabbits is served as experimental

*First published in Chinese in Acta Anatomia Sinica, Vol. 1, No. 2, pp. 131-147, 1954. Dr, Ho Chang-Nien and Dr. Fang Shih-Yuan assisted in the technical part of this work. +Translated by Li Chao-Te.

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