During which phase of wound healing do fibroblasts build an extracellular matrix?

The correct response is that fibroblasts build an extracellular matrix during the proliferation phase of wound healing. This phase occurs after the inflammatory phase, typically starting a few days post-injury and lasting for several weeks. During the proliferation phase, the body is focused on tissue formation and repair, where fibroblasts play a pivotal role.

Fibroblasts are specialized cells that synthesize collagen and other components that form the extracellular matrix, which provides structural support for the healing tissue. The matrix not only helps to fill in the wound but also serves as a scaffold for new cell growth, facilitating the transition from a wound to healthy tissue. This phase is crucial for re-establishing the integrity of the affected area, promoting new cell growth, and enabling angiogenesis (the formation of new blood vessels).

In contrast, the inflammatory phase is primarily concerned with the body’s immediate response to injury, characterized by the recruitment of immune cells to prevent infection and initiate the healing process. The maturation phase and remodeling phase occur later, focusing on strengthening and refining the tissue created during the proliferation phase but are not associated with the active synthesis of the extracellular matrix by fibroblasts.