Ultrastructural Features of Lung Fibroblast Differentiation into Myofibroblasts

Fibroblast differentiation into myofibroblast in transforming growth factor-beta1-exposed human lung fibroblasts and the immunolocalizations of alpha-smooth muscle actin, fibronectin, tenascin-C, and osteopontin in exposed cells were studied by conventional transmission electron microscopy and immunoelectron microscopy. Ultrastructural features of myofibroblasts were detected after exposure, e.g., alpha-smooth muscle actin positive bundles in the cytoplasm of cells and extracellular fibronectin-containing structures on the surface of the cell forming fibronexus structure, osteopontin adjacent to rough endoplastic reticulum and extracellular tenascin-C in the vicinity of the cell. The authors concluded that exposure to transforming growth factor-beta1 can differentiate lung fibroblasts into ultrastructurally typical myofibroblasts.