Mechanobiological Regulation of Fibroblast-to-Myofibroblast Phenotype Transition
A special issue of Cells (ISSN 2073-4409). This special issue belongs to the section "Cell Microenvironment".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2026
Special Issue Editors
Interests: biomedical engineering; soft tissue; tissue engineering; mechanobiology; fibroblast; mechanotransduction; soft matter; regenerative medicine
Interests: cell–material interactions; mechanobiology; regenerative medicine; biopolymer physics; soft matter
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The transition from fibroblasts to myofibroblasts is a fundamental process in tissue repair, regeneration, and fibrosis. This phenotypic shift is tightly controlled by a combination of biochemical factors and mechanical cues within the cellular microenvironment. Increasing evidence demonstrates that extracellular matrix stiffness, topographical guidance, strain, adhesion geometry, and cytoskeletal tension critically regulate how fibroblasts perceive and integrate pro-fibrotic stimuli, ultimately determining the degree of contractility, αSMA incorporation into stress fibers, focal adhesion maturation, and extracellular matrix remodeling.
This Special Issue will focus on the mechanobiological regulation of the fibroblast-to-myofibroblast transition, highlighting how physical and mechanical environments modulate cell signaling, cytoskeletal organization, and pathological outcomes. We invite research articles, reviews, and perspectives addressing topics such as the following:
- Mechanical control of fibroblast activation and αSMA incorporation;
- Crosstalk between matrix mechanics, topography, and biochemical pathways (e.g., TGF-β, FGFs, integrins);
- Mechanotransduction pathways governing contractility, adhesion dynamics, and ECM remodeling;
- Advanced experimental and computational platforms to probe fibroblast mechanosensing;
- Mechanical dysregulation in fibrosis, cardiovascular disease, wound repair, and engineered tissues.
By bringing together contributions across mechanobiology, cell signaling, biomaterials, and tissue engineering, this Special Issue will provide an integrated view of how mechanics shape fibroblast activation and inspire new therapeutic and bioengineering strategies for myofibroblast-driven disease.
Dr. Mirko D’urso
Dr. Nicholas A. Kurniawan
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Cells is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- fibroblasts
- myofibroblasts
- mechanotransduction
- extracellular matrix
- fibrosis
- tissue remodeling
- mechanobiology
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