Which of the following is a phase of wound healing?

• A. Hemostasis; inflammatory; proliferation/repair; maturation/remodeling
• B. Inflammation; proliferation; maturation; healing
• C. Hemostasis; proliferation; inflammation; remodeling
• D. Inflammation; hemostasis; remodeling; proliferation

Answer: (A)

Wound healing unfolds in four main, sequentially connected phases: hemostasis, inflammatory, proliferation/repair, and maturation/remodeling. Right after injury, the body quickly stops bleeding through vessel constriction and clot formation. The inflammatory phase follows, with immune cells arriving to clean debris and fight potential infection, setting the stage for repair. In the proliferative phase, new tissue is built: granulation tissue forms, blood vessels grow, collagen is laid down, and the wound edges contract and are covered by new epithelium. Finally, the remodeling phase reorganizes and strengthens the tissue over time, with collagen fibers realigning to improve tensile strength and reduce scar.

The best answer lists these four phases in the standard sequence: hemostasis; inflammatory; proliferation/repair; maturation/remodeling. The other options either substitute a non-phase term like healing, mix phases in an unusual order, or omit a phase such as hemostasis, which is essential to the early wound response.