Diabetes and Wound Angiogenesis

Abstract

Diabetes Mellitus Type II (DM2) is a growing international health concern with no end in sight. Complications of DM2 involve a myriad of comorbidities including the serious complications of poor wound healing, chronic ulceration, and resultant limb amputation. In skin wound healing, which has definite, orderly phases, diabetes leads to improper function at all stages. While the etiology of chronic, non-healing diabetic wounds is multi-faceted, the progression to a non-healing phenotype is closely linked to poor vascular networks. This review focuses on diabetic wound healing, paying special attention to the aberrations that have been described in the proliferative, remodeling, and maturation phases of wound angiogenesis. Additionally, this review considers therapeutics that may offer promise to better wound healing outcomes.