Abstract
Cardiac fibroblasts produce the extracellular matrix (ECM) scaffold within which the various cellular components of the heart are organized. As well as providing structural support, it is becoming evident that the quality and quantity of ECM is a key factor for determining cardiac cell behavior during development and in pathological contexts such as heart failure involving fibrosis. Cardiac fibroblasts have long remained a poorly characterized cardiac lineage. Well characterized markers are now paving the way for a better understanding of the roles of these cells in various developmental and disease contexts. Notably, the relevance of processes including endothelial-tomesenchymal transition and the recruitment of circulating fibroblast progenitors in heart failure has been challenged. This review describes the latest findings on cardiac fibroblast markers and developmental origins, and discusses their importance in myocardial remodeling. Effective modulation of cardiac fibroblast activity would likely contribute to successful treatment of various cardiac disorders.
Keywords:
Cardiac lineage; Fibroblast; Fibroblast markers; Fibrosis; Hypertrophy; Myocardial infarction.
Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Publication types
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Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
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Review
MeSH terms
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Animals
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Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors / genetics
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Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors / metabolism
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Biomarkers / metabolism
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Cell Lineage / physiology*
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Collagen Type I / genetics
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Collagen Type I / metabolism
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Discoidin Domain Receptors
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Extracellular Matrix / metabolism
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Fibroblasts / metabolism
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Fibroblasts / pathology*
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Fibrosis
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Gene Expression
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Heart Failure / genetics
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Heart Failure / metabolism
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Heart Failure / pathology*
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Humans
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Myocardium / metabolism
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Myocardium / pathology*
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Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / genetics
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Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / metabolism
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Receptor, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor beta / genetics
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Receptor, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor beta / metabolism
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Receptors, Mitogen / genetics
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Receptors, Mitogen / metabolism
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T-Box Domain Proteins / genetics
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T-Box Domain Proteins / metabolism
Substances
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Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors
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Biomarkers
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Collagen Type I
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Receptors, Mitogen
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T-Box Domain Proteins
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TCF21 protein, human
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Tbx18 protein, human
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Discoidin Domain Receptors
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PDGFRB protein, human
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Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases
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Receptor, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor beta