The bright side of fibroblasts: molecular signature and regenerative cues in major organs

Autor: Rita N. Gomes, Filipa Manuel, Diana S. Nascimento
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2021
Předmět:
Zdroj: npj Regenerative Medicine, Vol 6, Iss 1, Pp 1-12 (2021)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 2057-3995
DOI: 10.1038/s41536-021-00153-z
Popis: Abstract Fibrosis is a pathologic process characterized by the replacement of parenchymal tissue by large amounts of extracellular matrix, which may lead to organ dysfunction and even death. Fibroblasts are classically associated to fibrosis and tissue repair, and seldom to regeneration. However, accumulating evidence supports a pro-regenerative role of fibroblasts in different organs. While some organs rely on fibroblasts for maintaining stem cell niches, others depend on fibroblast activity, particularly on secreted molecules that promote cell adhesion, migration, and proliferation, to guide the regenerative process. Herein we provide an up-to-date overview of fibroblast-derived regenerative signaling across different organs and discuss how this capacity may become compromised with aging. We further introduce a new paradigm for regenerative therapies based on reverting adult fibroblasts to a fetal/neonatal-like phenotype.
Databáze: Directory of Open Access Journals