Objective:To investigate whether the expression of protein VEGF and TGF-β1 can be used as an indextoestimate injuryage in the field of forensic medicine by approaching the temporal relation of VEGF and TGF-β1 expression with injury in the healing process of the incised wounds on rat skin.Methods:Experimental rat models were established by incisions made on the rat skin.the rat models were divided randomly into three groups:the experimental group

the normal group

and the postmortem injured group.The expression of VEGF and TGF-β1 were observed with Immunohistochemical techniques in their process of cicatrization.Results:In the experimental group

the expression of VEGF and TGF-β1 were higher than those in the normal control and postmortem injury group(P<0.05).The expression of VEGF mainly existed in the neutrophilic granulocyte

macrophages and fibroblasts 3～24 h after injury

and its positive level increased in direct proportion to the wound age.Two days after the injury

the presence of VEGF was observed in the macrophages

fibroblasts

and the vascular endothelial cell of neoformative granulation tissue with strong positive expression

reaching a summit on the 4thday after the injury.The positive cells in both groups then gradually decreased

with the protein expression turning weakly positive. Their difference with the normal control group is significant(P<0.05).The changing rule of TGF-β1 expression in the experimental group was similar to that of the VEGF expression.Conclusion:The expression of VEGF and TGF-β1 during the cicatrization process follows temporal rules

thus can be provided as an new index to judge the Injury age in the field of forensic medicine.