The heart is a complex organ with a multicellular composition (cardiomyocytes, endothelial cells, immune cells, fibroblasts, pericytes, and smooth muscle cells). Myocyte and non-myocyte cells contribute to maintaining the proper structure and function of the heart through direct cell-cell interactions as well as paracrine signaling. The functional crosstalk between these cells is essential in the physiopathology of the heart contributing to cardiac homeostasis and regulating the responses to insults. Cardiomyocytes and endothelial cells are two of the most abundant cardiac cell types and their interactions play central roles in cardiac remodeling and regeneration. While endothelial cells support cardiomyocytes promoting their organization and survival, cardiomyocytes reciprocally secrete factors that impact endothelial cell function. Also, immune cells, such as macrophages, participate in regulating cardiac function favoring electric conduction and autophagic processes in cardiomyocytes as well as resolution of inflammation and cardiac remodeling in response to insults. Alterations in myocyte and non-myocyte cell interactions are conversely involved in the development of cardiac hypertrophy, remodeling, and failure. Therefore, understanding the molecular basis of the crosstalk between myocyte and non-myocyte cells would allow the discovery of novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for cardiovascular diseases. Contributions aimed to increase the knowledge in the field are welcome.
Keywords:
Cell interactions; Endothelial cells; Fibroblasts; Immune cells; Cardiomyocytes; Biomarkers; Intracellular signaling; Cardiac hypertrophy; Heart failure; Vasculature
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.
The heart is a complex organ with a multicellular composition (cardiomyocytes, endothelial cells, immune cells, fibroblasts, pericytes, and smooth muscle cells). Myocyte and non-myocyte cells contribute to maintaining the proper structure and function of the heart through direct cell-cell interactions as well as paracrine signaling. The functional crosstalk between these cells is essential in the physiopathology of the heart contributing to cardiac homeostasis and regulating the responses to insults. Cardiomyocytes and endothelial cells are two of the most abundant cardiac cell types and their interactions play central roles in cardiac remodeling and regeneration. While endothelial cells support cardiomyocytes promoting their organization and survival, cardiomyocytes reciprocally secrete factors that impact endothelial cell function. Also, immune cells, such as macrophages, participate in regulating cardiac function favoring electric conduction and autophagic processes in cardiomyocytes as well as resolution of inflammation and cardiac remodeling in response to insults. Alterations in myocyte and non-myocyte cell interactions are conversely involved in the development of cardiac hypertrophy, remodeling, and failure. Therefore, understanding the molecular basis of the crosstalk between myocyte and non-myocyte cells would allow the discovery of novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for cardiovascular diseases. Contributions aimed to increase the knowledge in the field are welcome.
Keywords:
Cell interactions; Endothelial cells; Fibroblasts; Immune cells; Cardiomyocytes; Biomarkers; Intracellular signaling; Cardiac hypertrophy; Heart failure; Vasculature
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.