Cardiac Fibroblasts: from Development to Disease

Cardiac fibroblasts have long been recognized as pivotal components of the heart, primarily due to their structural and immunoregulatory roles. Traditionally, these cells have been seen as the ""sentinel cells"" of the heart, providing support to other cardiac cells and regulating immune responses through their secretory functions. Upon cardiac injury, fibroblasts become activated, contributing to the fibrotic process, a response that has been well-documented. However, recent advancements have challenged these traditional views, revealing that cardiac fibroblasts are a heterogeneous group of cells with diverse transcriptomic, developmental, and functional characteristics. High-throughput technologies, such as single-cell RNA sequencing, have uncovered this heterogeneity, showing that different subpopulations of fibroblasts emerge at various stages and play distinct roles in cardiac pathology. Despite these advances, there remain significant gaps in understanding the full extent of fibroblast heterogeneity, their developmental origins, and their specific roles in cardiac diseases.

This research topic aims to delve into the complex biology of cardiac fibroblasts, focusing on their roles in cardiovascular development and disease. The primary objectives include exploring the heterogeneity of cardiac fibroblasts, understanding their developmental origins, and elucidating their specific functions in both reparative and regenerative processes. By addressing these questions, the research seeks to enhance our understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying cardiac diseases, ultimately contributing to improved therapeutic strategies.

To gather further insights into the multifaceted nature of cardiac fibroblasts, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:
- Heterogeneity: from development to disease
- Lineage tracing tools
- Repair vs regeneration
- Cell-to-cell communication
- Cellular and molecular mechanisms
- Fibroblasts comparison: evolution and organ-specificity

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.