Stiffness: A 'Master Regulator' of Human Lung Fibroblast Phenotypic Plasticity?

Abstract

The aberrant accumulation of myofibroblasts is one of the key histopathological features of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). The suggested sources of myofibroblasts include: epithelial mesenchymal transition; recruitment and differentiation of circulating fibrocytes; proliferation and differentiation of resident lung fibroblasts and lipofibroblasts. Lipofibroblasts are lipid-droplet containing cells that have role in maintaining homeostasis of the lung by facilitating alveolar maturation and surfactant production. As IPF patients have stiffer lungs, impaired reepithelialization and augmented myofibroblast formation we have investigated human lung fibroblast phenotypic plasticity in soft ..