Immunohistochemistry and Biochemistry Features of Interstitial Mesenchymal Cells in Ischemic Cardiac Diseases

Abstract

In the cardiac remodelling game, the casting is represented by certain players in form of four mesenchymal cells: one main player, represented by the fibroblast /and three secondary players, represented by the endothelial cell, vascular smooth muscle cell and the cardiac stem cell. The fibroblast plays a role in recruiting inflammatory cells (PMN, macrophages) in the primary secretory phase and another role in extracellular matrix remodelling in the secondary proliferative phase. Myofibroblasts are mesenchymal cells that, due to their phenotype, are often described as a bridge between fibroblasts and smooth muscle. The endothelial cells and vascular smooth muscle cells are involved in vascular remodelling, while the cardiac stem cells are involved in cardiogenesis, but at a slow rate. Last, but not least, there are transient players, in the very first moments of the game, represented by the inflammatory cells (PMN, macrophages), which clean the injured (necrobiotic) area, paving the way for the myofibroblast to cardiac remodelling. Ischemic lesions, as well as cardiac tumours produce a large variety of symptoms and changes in extracellular matrix composition.