A 9-year-old boy receives a deep laceration over his right eyebrow playing ice hockey. The wound is cleaned and sutured Which of the following collagens is deposited first during wound healing in the patient.
**Core Concept**
Collagen deposition is a crucial step in the wound healing process, involving the synthesis of various types of collagen to restore tissue integrity. In the early stages of wound healing, the body initiates the deposition of a specific type of collagen to provide initial tensile strength.
**Why the Correct Answer is Right**
During the initial stages of wound healing, the body rapidly deposits type III collagen to bridge the wound gap, providing a provisional matrix for further collagen synthesis. Type III collagen is rich in glycosaminoglycans, which help to absorb and distribute tensile forces across the wound site, facilitating the early stages of tissue repair. This process is mediated by various growth factors, including platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β), which stimulate fibroblast activity and collagen synthesis.
**Why Each Wrong Option is Incorrect**
* **Option A:** Type I collagen is primarily deposited later in the wound healing process, providing long-term tensile strength and replacing type III collagen.
* **Option B:** Type IV collagen is a component of the basement membrane and is not directly involved in the initial stages of wound healing.
* **Option C:** Type V collagen is a minor component of the extracellular matrix and is not a primary contributor to the initial stages of wound healing.
**Clinical Pearl / High-Yield Fact**
The deposition of type III collagen in the early stages of wound healing is crucial for providing initial tensile strength and facilitating the repair process.
**Correct Answer:** C. Type III collagen is deposited first during wound healing in the patient.