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The Myofibroblast as an Inflammatory Cell in Pulmonary Fibrosis

  • Chapter
Tissue Repair and Fibrosis

Part of the book series: Current Topics in Pathology ((CT PATHOLOGY,volume 93))

Abstract

Pulmonary fibrosis is commonly characterized by some degree of inflammation and abnormal tissue repair, resulting in the replacement of normal functional tissue with scar or connective tissue. Current understanding of the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis revolves around the complex interaction of inflammatory and lung structural cells, as mediated by their products, including cytokines, as well as by intimate cell-to-cell interactions that, in turn, are mediated by adhesion molecules and other receptors. As originally envisioned, the inflammatory and, in certain cases, the immune cells are thought to be the source of mediators that are targeted at structural cells (which respond by proliferating and producing extra-cellular matrix). Progress during the past decade, however, has made untenable this view that structural cells are passive targets. There is now mounting evidence of a more active role for these cells, including that of regulating the inflammatory and immune responses themselves. This paper will review and discuss some of this evidence, in the context of the role of the myofibroblast in pulmonary fibrosis.

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Authors
  1. S. H. Phan
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  2. K. Zhang
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  3. H. Y. Zhang
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  4. M. Gharaee-Kermani
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. GREF, Université Victor Segalen Bordeaux 2, 146, Rue Léo-Saignat, 33076, Bordeaux Cedex, France

    Alexis Desmoulière

  2. Départment de Nutrition, Université de Montréal, Pavillon Liliane-de-Stewart C. P. 6128, Succursale Centre-Ville, Montréal, Québec, H3C 3J7, Canada

    Beatriz Tuchweber

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© 1999 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Phan, S.H., Zhang, K., Zhang, H.Y., Gharaee-Kermani, M. (1999). The Myofibroblast as an Inflammatory Cell in Pulmonary Fibrosis. In: Desmoulière, A., Tuchweber, B. (eds) Tissue Repair and Fibrosis. Current Topics in Pathology, vol 93. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-58456-5_18

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-58456-5_18

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-63603-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-58456-5

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