The extracellular matrix (ECM) is a 3-dimensional structure and an essential component
in all human tissues. It is comprised of varying proteins, including collagens, elastin, and smaller
quantities of structural proteins. Studies have demonstrated the ECM aids in cellular adherence,
tissue anchoring, cellular signaling, and recruitment of cells. During times of integumentary injury
or damage, either acute or chronic, the ECM is damaged. Through a series of overlapping events
called the wound healing phases—hemostasis, inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling—the
ECM is synthesized and ideally returned to its native state. This article synthesizes current and
historical literature to demonstrate the involvement of the ECM in the varying phases of the wound
healing cascade.