The invention relates to therapeutic and cosmetic uses of calreticulin including reducing eliminating wrinkles and/or fine lines, tissue repair and reconstruction, repairing damaged and/or cartilage, stimulating regeneration of an epidermal appendage, enhancing phagocytosis of bacteria by phagocytes within a wound, treating a wound in a patient suffering delayed wound healing, treating a corneal wound, and treating or preventing a surgical adhesion.