Abstract: Objective To investigate the time-dependent expression of fibroblast activation protein(FAP) and α-smooth muscle actin(α-SMA) during the incised wound healing of the skin in mice. Methods The expression of FAP and α-SMA in incised wound of mice skin was detected by immunohistochemistry and Western blot. Results By immunohistochemistry, the expression of FAP and α-SMA in the normal skin and the skin 1 h after injury maintained at a very low level, but the positive cells expressing FAP and α-SMA started to elevate 6 h after injury and reached its peak on 5 d for FAP and on 3 d for α-SMA, then gradually decreased to the normal level on 14 d. The expression of FAP and α-SMA was observed throughout the wound healing stages 1 d after injuries by Western blot as well with a peak expression occurring on 5 d for FAP and on 3 d for α-SMA after injury. Conclusion FAP may be a potentially useful marker for wound age determination and α-SMA may be used as an effective indicator for the mid-and late stage incised wound of mice skin. The combination use of FAP and α-SMA may be potentially effective indicators for wound age determination.

Key words: forensic pathology, wound healing, skin, fibroblast activation protein(FAP), α-smooth muscle actin(α-SMA), wound age, mice