Encyclopedia > Fibroblast

  Article Content

Fibroblast

A Fibroblast is a cell that makes the structural fibers[?] and ground substance of connective tissue. It has a branched cytoplasm surrounding an elliptical, speckled nucleus having 1 or 2 nucleoli[?]. Active fibroblasts can be recognized by their abundant rough endoplasmic reticulum. Inactive fibroblasts, which are also called called fibrocytes, are smaller and spindle shaped. They have a reduced rough endoplasmic reticulum.

Fibroblasts make collagens, glycosaminoglycans[?], reticular[?] and elastic fibers[?], and glycoproteins[?] found in the extracellular matrix. In growing individuals fibroblasts are dividing and synthesizing ground substance. Tissue damage stimulates fibrocytes and induces the mitosis of fibroblasts.

Fibroblasts can give rise to other cells, such as bone cells[?],fat cells[?], and smooth muscle cells[?]. Note that all of these cells are of mesodermal origin.



All Wikipedia text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License

 
  Search Encyclopedia

Search over one million articles, find something about almost anything!
 
 
  
  Featured Article
Lake Ronkonkoma, New York

... householder with no husband present, and 25.2% are non-families. 20.3% of all households are made up of individuals and 9.7% have someone living alone who is 65 years of ...

 
 
 
This page was created in 78.7 ms