title: The role of the myofibroblast in tumor stroma remodeling.
abstract: Since its first description in wound granulation tissue, the myofibroblast has been recognized to be a key actor in the epithelial-mesenchymal cross-talk that plays a crucial role in many physiological and pathological situations, such as regulation of prostate development, ventilation-perfusion in lung alveoli or organ fibrosis. The presence of myofibroblasts in the stroma reaction to epithelial tumors is well established and many data are accumulating which suggest that the stroma compartment is an active participant in tumor onset and/or evolution. In this review we summarize the evidence in favor of this concept, the main mechanisms that regulate myofibroblast differentiation and function, as well as the biophysical and biochemical factors possibly involved in epithelial-stroma interactions, using liver carcinoma as main model, in view of achieving a better understanding of tumor progression mechanisms and of tools directed toward stroma as eventual therapeutic target.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Limoges, Limoges, France.
authors.forename: Marcela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Otranto
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sarrazy
authors.forename: Frédéric
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bonté
authors.forename: Boris
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hinz
authors.forename: Giulio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gabbiani
authors.forename: Alexis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Desmoulière
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D002450:Cell Communication; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D058628:Myofibroblasts / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000502:physiology*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D059016:Tumor Microenvironment
chemical_list: D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1