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What are Fibroblasts?
Fibroblasts are a type of cell found in connective tissue. These cells serve a critical role in the body: they secrete a variety of proteins responsible for composing the extracellular matrix (ECM), a network of proteins that gives structure and support to cells and tissues. Fibroblasts are found in all connective tissue, from the dense connective tissues that compose tendons and ligaments to the loose connective tissues under the epithelial lining of the gastrointestinal tract and skin. In addition to producing important components of the ECM, fibroblasts also play a role in wound contraction and cell signaling for organ differentiation during development.
Fibroblast Markers
Historically, fibroblasts have been a difficult cell type to identify. The fibroblast cell class has a high degree of heterogeneity. Fibroblasts in different tissues, associated with different stages of disease, and in different species can appear phenotypically different. Compounding this difficulty, fibroblasts do not have molecular markers specific only to them, unlike many other cell types. As a result, a combination of markers is often used in cell identification. These markers are helpful in the continued study of fibroblast structure and function as well as in disease research in which fibroblasts play a role, such as fibrosis, arthritis, autoimmune diseases, and cancer.
Below are a number of common fibroblast cell markers.
A calcium-binding protein found in new fibroblasts that plays a role in epithelial-mesenchymal transition. This protein has also been linked to a number of conditions, including tissue fibrosis and cancer
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A type of receptor tyrosine kinase found on the surface of the cell membrane involved in signal transduction. Cell signaling is thought to be related to cell growth and proliferation.
A type of receptor tyrosine kinase found on the surface of the cell membrane involved in signal transduction. Cell signaling is thought to be related to cell growth and proliferation.
A type-II transmembrane serine protease that is expressed in abnormal conditions. It has been linked to the proliferation of numerous conditions, including fibrosis, cancer, metabolic diseases, and arthritis.
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A glycoprotein found on the cell surface. CD90 is associated with numerous pathophysiological processes, including inflammation and proliferation.
A protein that is used as a marker in the identification of multiple types of cancer, including lung, breast, and skin cancer.
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References
- Cheng F, Shen Y, Mohanasundaram P, Lindström M, Ivaska J, Ny T, Eriksson JE. Vimentin coordinates fibroblast proliferation and keratinocyte differentiation in wound healing via TGF-β-Slug signaling. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2016 Jul 26;113(30):E4320-7. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1519197113. Epub 2016 Jul 8. PMID: 27466403; PMCID: PMC4968728.
- Fitzgerald AA, Weiner LM. The role of fibroblast activation protein in health and malignancy. Cancer Metastasis Rev. 2020 Sep;39(3):783-803. doi: 10.1007/s10555-020-09909-3. PMID: 32601975; PMCID: PMC7487063.
- Fotsitzoudis C, Koulouridi A, Messaritakis I, Konstantinidis T, Gouvas N, Tsiaoussis J, Souglakos J. Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts: The Origin, Biological Characteristics and Role in Cancer—A Glance on Colorectal Cancer. Cancers. 2022; 14(18):4394. https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers14184394
- Lendahl, U., Muhl, L. & Betsholtz, C. Identification, discrimination and heterogeneity of fibroblasts. Nat Commun 13, 3409 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-30633-9
- MedlinePlus [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Library of Medicine (US); [updated 2020 Jun 24]. PDGFRA gene; [updated 2021 Jul 13]; [about 1 p.]. Available from: https://medlineplus.gov/genetics/gene/pdgfra/
- Muhl, L., Genové, G., Leptidis, S. et al. Single-cell analysis uncovers fibroblast heterogeneity and criteria for fibroblast and mural cell identification and discrimination. Nat Commun 11, 3953 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-17740-1
- Zeng, F., Gao, M., Liao, S. et al. Role and mechanism of CD90+ fibroblasts in inflammatory diseases and malignant tumors. Mol Med 29, 20 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1186/s10020-023-00616-7