Fibroblasts interactions with collagen

The predominance of inflammatory changes in the fascia suggests that mediators produced by mesenchymal cells (fibroblasts and endothelial cells) may also play a role in the pathogenesis. For example, fibroblasts augment IL-5-dependent eosinophil survival and stimulate conversion to the hypodense phenotype. Fibroblasts can also produce IL-8, which recruits neutrophils and lymphocytes when injected in vivo. Thus, one can speculate that the etiologic agent interacts with these cells to stimulate release of inflammatory mediators and increase collagen synthesis. 

Fig. 3.2 Relationship of the connective tissue stroma to an epithelium. Fibroblasts secrete unique types of laminin proteins that interact with each other and type IV collagen, to form a basal lamina (yellow) that is tightly attached to the connective tissue (stromal) cells and also to the associated muscle or epithelial cell. The kidney glomerulus is a specialized tissue in which the stroma is absent and endothelial cells and epithelial cells are separated by the basal lamina which filters the blood as the first step in urine collection. The attachment of an epithelium to stromal collagen is discussed in detail in Chap. 5 (Fig. 19-55 in The Molecular Biology of the Cell. B. Alberts et al., 4th Ed. 2002. Garland Science, Taylor Francis Group, NY)...

Murray, M. M., B. Forsythe, F. Chen et al. 2006. The effect of thrombin on ACL fibroblast interactions with collagen hydrogels. / Orthop Res 24 508-515. 

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