THE AMBIGUOUS ROLE OF THE MATRICELLULAR PROTEIN TENASCIN-C IN SKIN WOUND HEALING

Traditional methods for treating extensive skin injuries have certain limitations regarding; therefore, the search for innovative materials and approaches to optimize wound regeneration processes continues to require particular attention. One of the less-studied extracellular matrix proteins in the context of skin wound healing is Tenascin-C (TN-C). At present, its role as a biomarker in tumor processes has been studied in considerable detail, while data on its regenerative properties remain limited. This article examines the mechanisms of action of TN-C, its interactions with cellular structures and sig-naling pathways, and summarizes the findings of existing studies that highlight its therapeutic potential in stimulating tissue regeneration and improv-ing healing outcomes. TN-C exhibits a multidomain structure, with each domain interacting with specific ligands. This paper presents a deeper under-standing of the functional characteristics of each domain, yielding updated information on the properties of TN-C. The review also aims to identify gaps in current knowledge and to determine directions for future research in the field of regenerative medicine. The aim of the study is a comprehensive analysis of current data on the protein Tenascin-C and its potential role as an active component in the process of skin wound healing. The informational and analytical search was conducted through the examination and synthesis of contemporary scientific data available on electronic resources such as PubMed, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, Scopus, Google Scholar, and eLibrary. The literature search was performed using the following keywords: Tenascin-C, wound healing, matricellular proteins, and cell proliferation. Articles published over the past 20 years were analyzed. Based on the results of the literature review, it can be concluded that additional preclinical studies of the investigated protein TN-C as a wound regeneration stimulator are war-ranted, specifically during the inflammatory and proliferative phases. In the remodeling phase, it may be more appropriate to utilize inhibitors of TN-C expression to avoid the formation of hypertrophic scars.