Vascular endothelial growth factor mediates angiogenic activity during the proliferative phase of wound healing.

Angiogenesis is an essential component of normal wound repair, yet the primary mediators of wound angiogenesis have not been well described. The current study characterizes the contribution of vascular endothelial cell growth factor (VEGF) to the angiogenic environment of human surgical wounds. Surgical wound fluid samples (n = 70) were collected daily for up to 7 postoperative days (POD) from 14 patients undergoing mastectomy or neck...