The influence of an exogenous supply of Na hyaluronate (HA) on the healing of superficial skin wounds in healthy and alloxan-induced diabetic rats was histologically assessed. Rats were treated by topical application on the wound site of a 2% Na hyaluronate solution. A facilitating effect of the HA-enrichment on wound repair processes (particularly epithelial migration and differentiation) was markedly evident in wounded diabetic rats. This result is discussed in terms of a possible favorable influence of an HA-enriched wound environment on cell migratory processes occurring during wound healing.