Figure 4.

Delayed wound healing because of Col5a2 ablation. A: Representative images are shown of hematoxylin and eosin–stained histologic sections of Col5a2^fl/fl control and Ubc-Cre; Col5a2^fl/fl wounds at 14 days after wounding. Dotted lines denote wound margins; arrows denote edge of migrating epithelial tongues in a Ubc-Cre; Col5a2^fl/fl wound, whereas a Col5a2^fl/fl control wound is completely reepithelialized. B: Representative images at wounding and 14 days after injury. C: Quantification of open wound areas shows wound closure to occur significantly more slowly in Ubc-Cre; Col5a2^fl/fl than in Col5a2^fl/fl control wounds. Data are expressed as means ± SEM (C). n = 9 (C, Ubc-Cre; Col5a2^fl/fl wounds); n = 10 (C, Col5a2^fl/fl wounds). ^∗P < 0.05, ^∗∗∗P < 0.001.