One of the defining features of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the presence of
extensive desmoplasia. The desmoplastic stroma consists of proliferating fibroblasts and
pancreatic stellate cells that produce and deposit fibronectin and collagens, inflammatory
cells and macrophages that produce chemokines and cyokines, nerve fibers that release
nerve growth factors, and marrow-derived stem cells. Stroma production is facilitated by the
abundance of growth factors, including fibroblast growth factors (FGFs), epidermal growth …