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Updated: May 17, 2026
Isolation and Characterization of Adult Cardiac Fibroblasts and Myofibroblasts
Published on: March 12, 2020
Cross talk between cardiac myocytes and fibroblasts: from multiscale investigative approaches to mechanisms and
1Cardiovascular Research Center, Cardiology Division, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, USA.
Insights
Cardiac myocytes (CM) and cardiac fibroblasts (CF) communicate bidirectionally, impacting heart function and disease. Understanding this crosstalk may lead to new heart failure and arrhythmia treatments.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Cell Biology
- Biomedical Engineering
Background:
- The heart comprises cardiac myocytes (CM) and cardiac fibroblasts (CF), which are closely interspersed.
- Bidirectional communication between CM and CF significantly influences cardiac mechanical and electrical function in healthy and diseased states.
- This crosstalk is implicated in cardiac remodeling and the pathogenesis of heart failure and arrhythmias.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide an overview of multiscale experimental and computational approaches for investigating CM-CF crosstalk.
- To review recent advancements in understanding the functional consequences and mechanisms of CM-CF crosstalk.
- To explore the therapeutic potential of targeting CM-CF interactions for cardiac disease treatment.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing multiscale experimental and computational approaches.
- Analysis of evidence from genetically engineered animal models and in vitro studies.
- Examination of paracrine factors, direct cell-cell interactions, and extracellular matrix interactions.
Main Results:
- CM-CF crosstalk regulates cardiac function and contributes to structural and electrical remodeling.
- Evidence supports CM and CF mutual regulation of function.
- Mechanisms include paracrine signaling, gap junctions, adherens junctions, nanotubes, and extracellular matrix interactions.
Conclusions:
- Targeting CM-CF crosstalk offers potential therapeutic strategies for modulating cardiac remodeling.
- This approach may lead to novel treatments for heart failure and rhythm disturbances.
- Further research into the mechanisms of CM-CF crosstalk is warranted.
Abstract:
The heart is comprised of a syncytium of cardiac myocytes (CM) and surrounding nonmyocytes, the majority of which are cardiac fibroblasts (CF). CM and CF are highly interspersed in the myocardium with one CM being surrounded by one or more CF. Bidirectional cross talk between CM and CF plays important roles in determining cardiac mechanical and electrical function in both normal and diseased hearts. Genetically engineered animal models and in vitro studies have provided evidence that CM and CF can regulate each other's function. Their cross talk contributes to structural and electrical remodeling in both atria and ventricles and appears to be involved in the pathogenesis of various heart diseases that lead to heart failure and arrhythmia disorders. Mechanisms of CM-CF cross talk, which are not yet fully understood, include release of paracrine factors, direct cell-cell interactions via gap junctions and potentially adherens junctions and nanotubes, and cell interactions with the extracellular matrix. In this article, we provide an overview of the existing multiscale experimental and computational approaches for the investigation of cross talk between CM and CF and review recent progress in our understanding of the functional consequences and underlying mechanisms. Targeting cross talk between CM and CF could potentially be used therapeutically for the modulation of the cardiac remodeling response in the diseased heart and may lead to new strategies for the treatment of heart failure or rhythm disturbances.
