Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team Jan 06, 2026 1 day, 9 hours, 22 minutes ago
Medical News: A New Look at An Old Medical Mystery
Fibrosis is a silent but deadly process where normal healing goes into overdrive. Instead of repairing damaged tissue, the body produces too much scar material, slowly stiffening organs such as the lungs, heart, liver, kidneys and skin. Over time this can lead to organ failure and even death. Scientists around the world have been struggling to find better ways to stop this process and a new comprehensive review has now highlighted a lesser known but powerful group of cells called circulating fibrocytes.
Bone marrow derived cells traveling in the blood may be silently worsening organ scarring across the body
This
Medical News report highlights how these cells may change the future of antifibrotic treatments.
The research was led by scientists from the Department of Burn Surgery at The First Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University in Shanghai China. The research team included experts in tissue repair, inflammation and fibrosis who reviewed years of laboratory and clinical studies to reach their conclusions.
What Are Circulating Fibrocytes
Circulating fibrocytes are special cells that originate in the bone marrow and travel through the bloodstream. When the body senses injury infection or aging related damage, these cells move quickly to the affected area. Once there they release chemical signals that increase inflammation and can transform into collagen producing cells similar to fibroblasts.
Collagen is essential for healing but too much of it leads to scarring. The review shows that even though fibrocytes make up a very small fraction of blood cells they can strongly influence how much scarring occurs.
How These Cells Drive Fibrosis Across the Body
The study explains that circulating fibrocytes are involved in fibrosis of many organs. In the lungs they are linked to conditions such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Higher levels of these cells have been associated with worse outcomes and faster disease progression.
In the heart, fibrocytes may contribute to stiffening of heart muscle and rhythm problems by increasing scar tissue. In the skin they are linked to systemic sclerosis, keloids and thick burn scars. The liver and kidneys are also affected as fibrocytes release inflammatory substances that activate local scarring cells.
Importantly these cells do not just make scar tissue directly. They also act like messengers that amplify inflammation and signal other cells to join the fibrotic process.
Why This Discovery Matters
Current antifibrotic drugs often slow disease but rarely stop or reverse it. This review shows that targeting circulating fibrocytes may offer a new strategy. By blocking their movement, reducing their activation or preventing their transformation scientists may be able to limit fibrosis earlier and more precisely.
Some existing drugs already appear to reduce fibroc
yte activity and researchers believe newer targeted therapies could be developed with fewer side effects.
Conclusions
This review clearly shows that circulating fibrocytes are not innocent bystanders but active drivers of fibrosis across multiple organs. By linking immune responses with scar formation these cells offer both a warning signal and a treatment opportunity. Targeting them carefully could transform how fibrotic diseases are detected managed and potentially prevented in the future.
The study findings were published in the peer reviewed International Journal of Molecular Sciences.
https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/27/2/557
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Medical News.
Read Also:
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/scientists-discover-that-the-phytochemical-cardamonin-can-slow-and-reverse-idiopathic-pulmonary-fibrosis
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/respiratory-infections-such-as-covid-19-are-driving-an-exponential-rise-in-pulmonary-fibrosis-incidences
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/long-covid-may-trigger-lasting-kidney-damage-due-to-persistent-inflammation-and-fibrosis
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