The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system plays crucial roles in cardiovascular physiology
and pathophysiology. However, many of the signaling mechanisms have been unclear. The …

Cardiac fibrosis is defined as the imbalance of extracellular matrix (ECM) production and
degradation, thus contributing to cardiac dysfunction in many cardiac pathophysiologic …

Connective tissue growth factor, also known as CCN2, is a cysteine-rich matricellular protein
involved in the control of biological processes, such as cell proliferation, differentiation …

The heart is a highly structured organ consisting of different cell types, including myocytes,
endothelial cells, fibroblasts, stem cells, and inflammatory cells. This pluricellularity provides …

Cardiac fibrosis is a common pathologic consequence of stress insult to the heart and is
characterized by abnormal deposition of fibrotic extracellular matrix that compromises …

The extracellular matrix (ECM) initiates mechanical cues that activate intracellular signaling
through matrix–cell interactions. In blood vessels, additional mechanical cues derived from …

Right ventricular fibrosis is a stress response, predominantly mediated by cardiac
fibroblasts. This cell population is sensitive to increased levels of pro-inflammatory …

AKI, due to the fact of altered oxygen supply after kidney transplantation, is characterized by
renal ischemia–reperfusion injury (IRI). Recent data suggest that AKI to CKD progression …

Abstract Cellular communication network 2 (CCN2), also known as connective tissue growth
factor (CTGF) regulates diverse cellular processes, some at odds with others, including …

Cardiac fibroblasts (cFBs) have emerged as a heterogenous cell population. Fibroblasts are
considered the main cell source for synthesis of the extracellular matrix (ECM) and as such a …