Pro-fibrotic mesenchymal cells are known to be the key effector cells of fibroproliferative
disease, but the specific matrix signals and the induced cellular responses that drive the
fibrogenic phenotype remain to be elucidated. The key mediators of the fibroblast fibrogenic
phenotype were characterized using a novel assay system that measures fibroblast
behavior in response to actual normal and fibrotic lung tissue. Using this system, we
demonstrate that normal lung promotes fibroblast motility and polarization, while fibrotic lung …