Abstract: Objective To evaluate changes of VEGF in skin after blunt injury. Methods The rats of injury groups were subjected to skin blunt injury by free-falling iron hammer. The samples taken at 1h, 3h, 6h, 12h,1d, 3d, 5d, 7d, 9d after injury were studied by immunohistochemistry and MIAS image analysis system. Results In the skin of normal control group the expression level of VEGF was low. The increase of VEGF could be observed at 1 day after injury, reached peak at 7 days and declined at 9 days. Conclusion Blunt injury in the skin could induce the expression of the VEGF. Moreover, the change pattern of VEGF level was quite regular with time and could be used to estimate the time after skin injury.

Key words: VEGF, immunohistochemistry, blunt injury