Renal Fibroblasts (RF)

Fibroblasts are mesenchymal cells derived from the embryonic mesoderm. They have been extensively used for a wide range of cellular and molecular studies as they are one of the easiest types of cells to grow in culture. Their durability also makes them amenable to a wide variety of manipulations ranging from studies employing gene transfection to microinjection. Many diseases are associated with fibroblasts, either because fibroblasts are implicated in their etiology or because of the fibrosis that accompanies damage to other cell types.Renal interstitial fibrosis is the common pathological manifestation of end stage renal disease, and chronic obstructive nephropathy is a common pathological model of renal interstitial fibrosis. Renal fibroblasts(RF) proliferation is key in renal fibrosis and chronic kidney disease. Transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) have been demonstrated to be important factors that induce cell proliferation in renal fibroblasts.