Tissue Injury, Healing, And Pain Practice Test

Angiogenesis—the growth of new blood vessels—is central to building the tissue foundation needed for repair. It occurs most prominently during the proliferative (reparative) phase, when granulation tissue forms. In this phase endothelial cells proliferate and sprout to create new capillaries that permeate the wound bed, driven by signals such as VEGF in response to hypoxia. Those new vessels supply oxygen and nutrients to fuel fibroblast activity, collagen deposition, and epithelialization, all key features of this phase. Inflammation focuses on clearing debris and fighting infection, with blood vessels mainly delivering immune cells and plasma proteins. Remodeling then shifts toward reorganizing and strengthening the new tissue, with collagen maturation and scar refinement; vessels become less prominent as the wound gains strength. So while some vascular activity can occur earlier, the production of new blood vessels is a defining part of the proliferative phase.