Mouse skin wound. Confocal light micrograph with immunofluorescence-stained immune cells surrounding a mouse skin wound. They are enriched in the beneficial bacteria Staphylococcus epidermidis. This is a bacterium commonly found on human skin that does not normally cause disease. Studies conducted by US National Institutes of Health researchers (published January 2018) suggest that these bacteria work symbiotically with the animals?immune cells to defend against disease-causing microorganisms, and to accelerate wound healing. These insights may inform skin wound management techniques for treating damaged tissues in humans.