Which phase of wound healing involves granulation tissue formation, fluid absorption, epithelial cell activity at the wound edge, and scar formation?

• A. Inflammatory phase
• B. Remodeling phase
• C. Granulation phase
• D. Contraction phase

Answer: (C)

In wound healing, the proliferative phase, often called the granulation phase, drives the rebuilding of tissue. Granulation tissue forms as fibroblasts lay down collagen and extracellular matrix and new capillaries grow into the wound bed. This creates a bed for healing and helps absorb fluid that accumulates from the inflammatory process. At the same time, epithelial cells at the wound edge migrate across the new tissue to re-cover the surface. As the tissue is laid down and the surface is re-epithelialized, the groundwork for scar formation is laid, with collagen remodeling beginning to shape a stronger, but thinner, scar as healing progresses.

So, the combination of granulation tissue formation, epithelial cell activity at the wound edge, and the initiation of scar formation fits the granulation (proliferative) phase.