Esophageal Fibroblasts (EF)

The esophagus is a hollow tubular organ whose wall comprises a mucosa or epithelium, submucosa, muscle and adventitia. 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. Fibroblasts are the most common cells of connective tissue in animals. Fibroblasts in various parts of the body are intrinsically different. Esophageal fibroblasts have been shown to contribute to the esophageal squamous cell carcinoma-induced angiogenesis through the TGF-β and VEGF signaling pathways.