Final answer:
Regeneration is the replacement of damaged tissue by new cells that are the same type as the damaged ones, which differs from other forms of tissue repair such as fibrosis, resolution, and repair by scar tissue.
Step-by-step explanation:
The process by which damaged tissue is replaced by similar functional cells is known as regeneration. This occurs when the body repairs a wound through the formation of new cells that are the same type as the ones that were injured. During the repair phase, fibroblasts deposit collagen and form granulation tissue, which is eventually vascularized as new blood vessels form. Some tissues, like epithelial and connective tissues, can regenerate more effectively due to a supply of adult stem cells. In contrast, muscle and nervous tissues either regenerate very slowly or not at all. The addition of new cells of the same type to replace those that were damaged is key to regeneration. When this process results in a restored tissue structure without the formation of scar tissue, it can be differentiated from fibrosis, resolution, and repair by scar tissue, which are other outcomes of tissue injury.