A mathematical model for the determination of mouse excisional wound healing parameters from photographic data.

Abstract

We present a mathematical model to quantify parameters of mouse excisional wound healing from photographic data. The equation is a piecewise linear function in log scale that includes key parameters of initial wound radius (R), an initial wound stasis phase (T), and time to wound closure (T); subsequently, these terms permit calculation of a latter active proliferative phase (T), and the healing rate (HR) during this active phase. A daily photographic record of wound healing (utilizing 6 mm diameter splinted excisional wounds) permits the necessary sampling for robust parameter refinement. When implemented with an automated nonlinear fitting routine, the healing parameters are determined in an operator-independent (i.e., unbiased) manner. The model was evaluated using photographic data from a splinted excisional surgical procedure involving several different mouse cohorts. Model fitting demonstrates excellent coefficients of determination (R) in each case. The model, thus, permits quantitation of key parameters of excisional wound healing, from initial wounding through to wound closure, from photographic data.