Fibroblast Biology

Fibroblast Biology: Development, Differentiation, and Mechanical Regulation in Health and Disease offers a comprehensive treatment of fibroblast biology to cell biologists, biomedical engineers, and research physicians interested in understanding the role these cells play in maintaining organismal homeostasis. Conditions covered include keloid fibroblasts, cancer, neurological diseases, rheumatoid arthritis, diseases in the lungs, kidney, and muscular tissue, including the cardiac muscle. This book is a complete reference that serves as perfect entry-pint for researchers new to this field. Research physicians can benefit from the connections established between cell biology and specific disease states covered.

Comprised of three parts, the book opens with an introduction to fibroblasts, covering their roles in the human body, their heterogeneity, profiling, and interactions with the extracellular matrix. The initial part is concluded with an overview of cell mechanics and mechanobiology. Part two delves into the biology of fibroblasts, including signaling networks, activation, proliferation and differentiation, migration, their role in normal wound healing, interactions with other cell types, and the changes in fibroblasts across the organismal lifespan. The final part is dedicated to fibroblasts roles in disease states and therapeutic opportunities.