Role of Platelet Derivatives and Their Therapeutic Potential in Wound Healing

Regenerative medicine has attracted increasing attention across diverse organs, including the skin, musculoskeletal tissues, eye, and nervous system, where structural repair is limited. Among these, skin wound care is particularly urgent and challenging because diabetic ulcers, pressure injuries, and severe burns often resist standard dressings, debridement, and revascularization, resulting in infection, amputation, and high costs. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) has gained value because platelets release coordinated growth factors and cytokines (e.g., platelet-derived growth factor, transforming growth factor-β, vascular endothelial growth factor, epidermal growth factor, fibroblast growth factor, and insulin-like growth factor-1) that modulate hemostasis, inflammation, angiogenesis, fibroplasia, and re-epithelialization. PRP provides concentrated multiple growth factors and, owing to its autologous nature, shows low immunogenicity. Even allogeneic or xenogeneic PRP is generally considered to evoke minimal immune responses, positioning PRP as a promising and effective treatment. Recently, diverse platelet derivatives developed through processing and formulation have enabled more efficient applications and long-term storage. Nevertheless, substantial issues remain, including the lack of standardized preparation protocols, unclear dosing and retreatment schedules, potential disease-specific adverse effects, and donor-dependent variability in blood quality. Here, we review platelet-mediated mechanisms of wound healing, summarize the efficacy and clinical use of platelet derivatives, and discuss unresolved issues with potential solutions. These insights may support more efficient and effective use of platelets and PRP in wound care while advancing their translation across regenerative medicine.