Fibroblasts, the principal cell type of connective tissue, secrete extracellular matrix
components during tissue development, homeostasis, repair and disease. Despite this …

Diseases of the heart and the kidney, including heart failure and chronic kidney disease, can
dramatically impair life expectancy and the quality of life of patients. The heart and kidney …

BACKGROUND: Cardiomyopathy is characterized by the pathological accumulation of
resident cardiac fibroblasts that deposit ECM (extracellular matrix) and generate a fibrotic …

The immune system is intimately involved in the pathophysiology of heart failure. However, it
is currently underused as a therapeutic target in the clinical setting. Moreover, the …

Cardiac fibrosis is characteristic of the end stage in nearly all forms of heart disease.
Accumulation of extracellular matrix in the myocardium leads to increased risk of arrhythmia …

Approximately 50% of Americans have hypertension, which significantly increases the risk of
heart failure. In response to increased peripheral resistance in hypertension, intensified …

Loss of Bcl2-associated athanogene 3 (BAG3) is associated with dilated cardiomyopathy
(DCM). BAG3 regulates sarcomere protein turnover in cardiomyocytes; however, the …

Cardiac stromal cells have been long underestimated in their functions in homeostasis and
repair. Recent evidence has changed this perspective in that many more players and facets …

Fibroblasts are stromal cells found in virtually every tissue and organ of the body. For many
years, these cells were often considered to be secondary in functional importance to …

OBJECTIVE To assess whether cardiac MRI or various biomarkers can be used to detect
myocardial ischemia and fibrosis in dogs with cardiomegaly secondary to myxomatous …