The altered mechanical phenotype of fetal fibroblasts hinders myofibroblast differentiation.

ABSTRACT: During the dermal wound healing process, the mechanical rigidity of the newly deposited extracellular matrix and transforming growth factor-β1 promote the transition of fibroblasts into myofibroblasts. Myofibroblasts generate large cellular forces that contract and remodel the extracellular matrix leading to scar formation. In contrast, myofibroblasts are not detected in fetal dermal wounds which are more compliant and contain less transforming growth factor-β1 than adult wounds. Instead, fetal fibroblasts orchestrate scarless healing of dermal wounds resulting in healed tissues that resemble uninjured dermis. While these biomechanical differences suggest that the fetal wound environment promotes smaller cellular forces which enable regeneration, previous studies indicate that fetal fibrob

SUBMITTER: Jerrell RJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6378408 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature