Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a devastating condition that is reaching epidemic levels
owing to the increasing prevalence of diabetes mellitus, hypertension and obesity, as well …

Transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ) family members are structurally and functionally related
cytokines that have diverse effects on the regulation of cell fate during embryonic …

Aging is the primary risk factor underlying hypertension and incident cardiovascular disease.
With aging, the vasculature undergoes structural and functional changes characterized by …

Fibroblasts, which are traditionally recognized as a quiescent cell responsible for
extracellular matrix production, are more and more appreciated as an active key player of …

Hypertension is a global public health issue and the leading cause of premature death in
humans. Despite more than a century of research, hypertension remains difficult to cure due …

Extracellular matrix proteins form the basic structure of blood vessels. Along with providing
basic structural support to blood vessels, matrix proteins interact with different sets of …

Thoracic aortic diseases that involve progressive enlargement, acute dissection, or rupture
are influenced by the hemodynamic loads and mechanical properties of the wall. We have …

Fibrosis is defined as a fibroproliferative or abnormal fibroblast activation‐related disease.
Deregulation of wound healing leads to hyperactivation of fibroblasts and excessive …

Toxicity of nanoparticles depends on many factors including size, shape, chemical
composition, surface area, surface charge, and others. In this study, we compared the …

The intracellular mechanism of transforming growth factor-β (TGFβ) signalling via kinase
receptors and SMAD effectors is firmly established, but recent studies of human …