Myofibroblast
Myofibroblast
Myofibroblasts (pronounced: my-o-fibro-blasts) are a type of cell that play a key role in the process of wound healing and tissue repair.
Etymology
The term "myofibroblast" is derived from the Greek words "myo", meaning muscle, and "fibroblast", a type of cell that produces collagen and the extracellular matrix.
Function
Myofibroblasts are responsible for wound contraction during healing. They are formed from fibroblasts, the most common cells of connective tissue in animals, in response to specific signals such as transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β). Myofibroblasts contain properties of both smooth muscle cells (hence the "myo" in their name) and fibroblasts.
Clinical Significance
In normal wound healing, myofibroblasts decrease in number once the wound has closed. However, in pathological conditions such as fibrosis and cancer, myofibroblasts can persist and contribute to disease progression.
Related Terms
- Fibroblast
- Wound healing
- Tissue repair
- Collagen
- Connective tissue
- Transforming growth factor beta
- Smooth muscle cells
- Fibrosis
- Cancer
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Myofibroblast
- Wikipedia's article - Myofibroblast
This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.
Languages: - East Asian
中文,
日本,
한국어,
South Asian
हिन्दी,
Urdu,
বাংলা,
తెలుగు,
தமிழ்,
ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian
Indonesian,
Vietnamese,
Thai,
မြန်မာဘာသာ,
European
español,
Deutsch,
français,
русский,
português do Brasil,
Italian,
polski