Fibroblasts are mesenchymal cells derived from the embryonic mesoderm. They have been extensively used for a wide range of cellular and molecular studies. This is mainly because they are one of easiest types of cells to grow in culture, and their durability makes them amenable to a wide variety of manipulations ranging from studies employing gene transfection to microinjection. There is good evidence that fibroblasts in different parts of the body are intrinsically different. Fibroblasts within tissues are exposed to a dynamic mechnical environment, which influences the structure integrity of both healthy and healing soft tissue. Fibroblasts secrete a nonrigid extracellular matrix that is rich in type I and/or type III collagen. In addition, dermal fibroblasts also secrete large quantities of hyaluronan in response to inflammatory stimuli. During wound healing, dermal fibroblasts switch from a migratory, repopulating phenotype to a contractile, matrix-reassembling phenotype.
More: ***Lien supprimé***