Research Progress on Mitochondrial Fusion, Fission and Autophagy in Burn Wounds

As the intracellular “powerhouses”, mitochondria play a critical role in wound healing by maintaining structural and functional stability. The dynamic equilibrium of mitochondrial fusion and fission, together with mitophagy, constitutes the key pathway regulating mitochondrial structural integrity and functional stability. Mitochondria protect burn wounds via the dynamic balance of fusion and fission as well as mitophagy: moderate mitochondrial fission can promote wound healing, whereas excessive fission induces overproduction of reactive oxygen species and inflammatory cytokines, thereby impairing tissue repair; mitochondrial fusion may exert beneficial effects on wound healing. Mitophagy alleviates cellular apoptosis and oxidative stress, and modulates all stages of burn wound healing. This review focuses on the maintenance of mitochondrial fusion–fission balance and mitophagy, systematically elaborates their specific roles in burn wound repair, and discusses the clinical application prospects of these mechanisms in the prevention and treatment of post-burn injuries.