Telocytes in Chronic Inflammatory and Fibrotic Diseases
Telocytes are a peculiar stromal (interstitial) cell type implicated in tissue homeostasis and development, as well as in the pathophysiology of several disorders. Severe damage and reduction of telocytes have been reported during fibrotic remodeling of m
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Telocytes in Chronic Inflammatory and Fibrotic Diseases Lidia Ibba-Manneschi, Irene Rosa, and Mirko Manetti
Abstract Telocytes are a peculiar stromal (interstitial) cell type implicated in tissue homeostasis and development, as well as in the pathophysiology of several disorders. Severe damage and reduction of telocytes have been reported during fibrotic remodeling of multiple organs in various diseases, including scleroderma, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, and liver fibrosis, as well as in chronic inflammatory lesions like those of primary Sjögren’s syndrome and psoriasis. Owing to their close relationship with stem cells, telocytes are also supposed to contribute to tissue repair/regeneration. Indeed, telocytes are universally considered as “connecting cells” mostly oriented to intercellular signaling. On the basis of recent promising experimental findings, in the near future, telocyte transplantation might represent a novel therapeutic opportunity to control the evolution of chronic inflammatory and fibrotic diseases. Notably, there is evidence to support that telocytes could help in preventing abnormal activation of immune cells and fibroblasts, as well as in attenuating the altered matrix organization during the fibrotic process. By targeting telocytes alone or in tandem with stem cells, we might be able to promote regeneration and prevent the evolution to irreversible tissue injury. Besides exogenous transplantation, exploring pharmacological or non-pharmacological methods to enhance the growth and/or survival of telocytes could be an additional therapeutic strategy for many disorders.
4.1
Introduction
During both development and reparative processes of tissues and organs, the stromal compartment takes center stage not only by providing mechanical support and protection to parenchymal cells but also as a pivotal regulator of different cell activities, including proliferation, survival, differentiation, and metabolism [1, 2]. Accordingly,
L. Ibba-Manneschi • I. Rosa • M. Manetti, PhD (*) Section of Anatomy and Histology, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Largo Brambilla 3, Florence 50134, Italy e-mail: [email protected]; [email protected] © Springer Science+Business Media Singapore 2016 X. Wang, D. Cretoiu (eds.), Telocytes, Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, 913, DOI 10.1007/978-981-10-1061-3_4
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abnormalities in the stromal compartment may deeply impair tissue homeostasis, thus representing a key step in the development and progression of multiple pathologic conditions, such as chronic inflammatory, fibrotic, and neoplastic diseases. It is now well established that the development and perpetuation of chronic inflammation are the consequence of a complex interplay between immune cells and nonimmune, tissue-resident, stromal (interstitial) cells. Actually, stromal cells are no longer believed to be “innocent bystanders” as a growing evidence suggests that they are active players in the induction and mainte
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