Myofibroblasts are characterized by their expression of α-smooth muscle actin, their
enhanced contractility when compared to normal fibroblasts and their increased synthetic …

Successful recovery from lung injury requires the repair and regeneration of alveolar
epithelial cells to restore the integrity of gas-exchanging regions within the lung and …

Remarkable progress has been achieved in understanding the regulation of gene
expression and protein translation, and how aberrancies in these template-driven processes …

Progressive tissue fibrosis is a major cause of the morbidity and mortality associated with
repeated epithelial injuries and accumulation of myofibroblasts. Successful treatment …

Pulmonary fibrosis is a progressive lung disorder of unknown etiology, which is
characterized by alterations in alveolar epithelium function, fibroblast activation, and …

Background Interstitial pneumonia in connective tissue diseases (CTD-IP) featuring
inflammation and fibrosis is a leading cause of death in CTD-IP patients. The related …

The E3 small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) protein ligase protein inhibitor of activated
STAT 4 (PIAS4) is a pivotal protein in regulating the TGFβ pathway. In this study, we …

Abstract Syndecan-4 (SDC4) is a cell-surface proteoglycan associated with cell adhesion,
motility, and intracellular signaling. Here, we present that SDC4 functions as a positive …

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is characterized by activation and injury of epithelial cells,
the accumulation of connective tissue and changes in the inflammatory microenvironment …

The use of lung progenitors for regenerative medicine appears promising, but their biology
is not fully understood. Here, we found anti-inflammatory attributes in bronchiolar …