AUTHOR=Reinhardt James W. , Breuer Christopher K. 

TITLE=Fibrocytes: A Critical Review and Practical Guide

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Immunology

VOLUME=12

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/immunology/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2021.784401

DOI=10.3389/fimmu.2021.784401

ISSN=1664-3224

ABSTRACT=<p>Fibrocytes are hematopoietic-derived cells that directly contribute to tissue fibrosis by producing collagen following injury, during disease, and with aging. The lack of a fibrocyte-specific marker has led to the use of multiple strategies for identifying these cells <italic>in vivo</italic>. This review will detail how past studies were performed, report their findings, and discuss their strengths and limitations. The motivation is to identify opportunities for further investigation and promote the adoption of best practices during future study design.</p>