This work was prompted by earlier findings of the beneficial effect of increased oxygen supply on wound healing. Enzyme activities in the limiting step of glycolysis, citric acid cycle and pentose phosphate cycle were determined in cellulose sponge implants of rats chronically, breathing 12% O(2), air or 55% O(2.) Respiratory gas tensions and concentrations of pyruvate and lactate were measured in wound fluid aspirated from the implants. Significant portions of repair tissue exist in conditions of extremely low oxygen tension. Probably because all added oxygen is readily consumed, the wound fluid PO(2) increased only slightly in hyperoxic environment. The wound PCO(2) increased in parallel with the inspired PO(2), probably due to enhanced production of carbon dioxide. Hyperoxia shifted the wound metabolism from anaerobic towards aerobic glycolysis. This occurred concurrently with activation of citric acid cycle. Succinic dehydrogenase, a linking enzyme between citric acid cycle and electron transfer chain, also increased with increasing oxygen tension. This oxygen-induced metabolical change has been previously observed in many other tissues.