Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Cardiac fibrosis is a major contributor to the development and progression of heart failure. It involves an aberrant deposition of extracellular matrix components, leading to impaired mechanical and electrical function of the heart. Despite its clinical importance, effective anti-fibrotic treatments remain elusive, in part due to limited insight into the molecular and cellular processes that distinguish transient from sustained fibrotic responses. Central to these processes are fibroblasts, structurally supportive yet functionally diverse stromal cells that regulate tissue architecture, cell signalling, and immune responses. Recent technological advances, including lineage tracing models and single-cell omics, have begun to unravel the complexity of fibroblast populations within the heart. These approaches have identified distinct fibroblast states and highlighted their dynamic roles in both maintaining homeostasis and driving pathological remodelling. This review examines the evolving understanding of fibroblast biology in the context of myocardial fibrosis, emphasizing their contributions to inflammation and extracellular matrix dysregulation and their interactions with cardiomyocytes and endothelial cells. Finally, emerging therapeutic avenues aimed at selectively altering fibroblast activity and mechanosensitive therapies are highlighted.
Source: European Heart Journal
Institutions: Deutsches Herzzentrum der Charité, German Centre for Cardiovascular Research, Berlin Institute of Health at Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Centro de Investigación en Red en Enfermedades Cardiovasculares, Navarre Institute of Health Research, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red, Clinica Universidad de Navarra, Centro de Investigación Médica Aplicada, Universidad de Navarra, University of Washington
Language: English
Subfield: Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $5,922
Awards: G137732709, SFB 1470: Mechanistische Charakterisierung von Herzinsuffizienz mit erhaltener Auswurffraktion durch tiefe Phänotypisierung Etablierung einer neuen Klassifizierung von HFpEF für gezielte TherapieAnsätze, G2694379115, G6303131189, G772948665, G9000128037, G9000172591, Regulators of Myofibroblast State Stability & Fibrotic Responsiveness of the Heart, Integrating Transcriptome Reprogramming Into Cardiac Plasticity Regulatory Mechanisms, Uncovering The Mechanogenomic Basis For Cardiac Plasticity, Esclerosis Aórtica Funcional, Insuficiencia Cardiaca y Mortalidad.
OpenAlex ID: W4416631701