Impact of EGF on wound healing
Exogenous EGF had no effect on wound closure, with a group mean closure rate of 3.2±1.7 %/hour in the presence of EGF compared to 3.4±1.8 %/hour without EGF (p=0.58) (Figure 3A). However, inhibiting EGF had a profound effect, slowing wound closure (control 4.1±1.9 %/hour vs 0.6±0.4 %/hour in the presence of Erlotinib, p=0.006, Figure 3B).