Scar tissue

Scar tissue is fibrous tissue that replaces normal tissue after an injury, as part of the wound healing process. The process is mediated primarily by fibroblasts and myofibroblasts, which synthesize new extracellular matrix (mainly collagen) to repair damaged structures. Scar tissue is structurally and functionally different from normal tissue, with reduced elasticity and altered cellular composition. Different types of scars include hypertrophic scars and keloids, both characterized by excessive matrix deposition and persistent cellular activity. While many molecular mediators and potential targets in scar formation exist (such as TGF-β, PDGF, fibroblast subtype markers), "scar tissue" is not itself a molecule, receptor, or suitable candidate for direct drug targeting. Scar tissue is a tissue outcome, not a discrete molecular entity or canonical target; for structured approaches, the real therapeutic targets are often the cells (e.g., fibroblasts, myofibroblasts) or signaling molecules (e.g., TGF-β, collagen subtypes, periostin) that mediate scar formation. This makes the entry technically incorrect as a molecular therapeutic target.

Other names

Scarcicatrixfibrous tissue (post-injury)pathological scar (for disease states)