Scientists ID new targets to treat fibrosis—a feature of many chronic diseases

When it comes to repairing injured tissue, specialized cells in the body known as fibroblasts are called into action. Fibroblasts give rise to healing cells called myofibroblasts, which generally is good in the short term—but bad when myofibroblast activation gets out of hand. In new work, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University (LKSOM) researchers show how fibroblast activation and myofibroblast formation occurs, providing clues as to how to target fibrosis—which impacts several chronic diseases. Kickstarting the process are stress-induced changes in mitochondrial calcium uptake.