ArticleNature communications2021
Single-cell RNA-seq reveals fibroblast heterogeneity and increased mesenchymal fibroblasts in human fibrotic skin diseases.
Article in Nature communications, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 299 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
299 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 437 citations in OpenAlex.
- A multi-dataset single-cell meta-analysis of human keloid skin across Asian, Black and White populations reveals endothelial and mesenchymal programs linked to ethnic disparities.Frontiers in medicine · 2026Pooled it
- Should We Do Postoperative Radiotherapy After Keloid Excision as Soon as Possible? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Aesthetic plastic surgery · 2025Pooled it
- Impact of pentoxifylline on efficacy, safety, tolerability, and treatment satisfaction of fractional carbon dioxide laser in patients with burn scars: a pilot blinded randomized controlled trial.Lasers in medical science · 2025Trial
- Immune-featured stromal niches associate with response to neoadjuvant immunotherapy in oral squamous cell carcinoma.Cell reports. Medicine · 2025Trial
- Immune cells in keloids: mechanisms and potential treatments.Annals of medicine · 2026Review
- Emerging bioactive microneedle platforms for disease management: From cutaneous disorders to systemic therapeutics.Bioactive materials · 2026Review
- Comment on "Distinct Molecular Signature of Earlobe Keloids: Integrated Transcriptomic Analysis of Extracellualr Matrix, Metalloproteinase, and Metabolic Path".Aesthetic plastic surgery · 2026Article
- Mechanotransduction unifies healthy nondiabetic wound healing over time by promoting a Cd14+/C1qa+ fibroblast subpopulation.The Journal of investigative dermatology · 2026Article
- Identification and characterization of POSTNJournal of orthopaedic translation · 2026Article
- Cerebral venous blood flow regulates intracerebral pressure and brain clearance via meningeal lymphatic vessels.Nature neuroscience · 2026Article
- Comparison of the biological effects of various radiation therapies for keloids by single-cell RNA sequencing reveals IRF1 as a novel target in keloid therapy.Fundamental research · 2026Article
- A practical toolbox for modelling fibrosis in vitro.Nature biomedical engineering · 2026Review
- Single-cell profiling decodes patagium development in gliding mammal.Nature communications · 2026Article
- Pulmonary fibroblast subsets demonstrate differentially enriched signaling pathways during fibrosis resolution and repair.JCI insight · 2026Article
- Fibroblasts: a diverse population of cells balancing homeostasis, wound healing, regeneration, inflammation, fibrosis, and cancer across organs.JCI insight · 2026Review
- Integrated multi-omics analysis reveals key molecular mechanisms underlying fibroproliferation and immune dysregulation in keloids.Functional & integrative genomics · 2026Article
- Lipoaspirate-derived secretome restores redox homeostasis to attenuate pathological scar formation.Stem cell research & therapy · 2026Article
- POSTN(+) fibroblasts and SPP1(+) macrophages in scar formation: A review of mechanisms and therapeutic targets (Review).Molecular medicine reports · 2026Review
- Evaluation of Melanocytes and T-cells in Vitiliginous Skin Pre- and Post-Narrow-Band UVB Phototherapy.Indian dermatology online journal · 2026Article
- Collagen-producing eye cell atlas reveals distinct fibroblast fates in early injury vs. fibrotic subretinal disease.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America · 2026Article
239 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
11 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Fibrotic skin disease represents a major global healthcare burden, characterized by fibroblast hyperproliferation and excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix. Fibroblasts are found to be heterogeneous in multiple fibrotic diseases, but fibroblast heterogeneity in fibrotic skin diseases is not well characterized. In this study, we explore fibroblast heterogeneity in keloid, a paradigm of fibrotic skin diseases, by using single-cell RNA-seq. Our results indicate that keloid fibroblasts can be divided into 4 subpopulations: secretory-papillary, secretory-reticular, mesenchymal and pro-inflammatory. Interestingly, the percentage of mesenchymal fibroblast subpopulation is significantly increased in keloid compared to normal scar. Functional studies indicate that mesenchymal fibroblasts are crucial for collagen overexpression in keloid. Increased mesenchymal fibroblast subpopulation is also found in another fibrotic skin disease, scleroderma, suggesting this is a broad mechanism for skin fibrosis. These findings will help us better understand skin fibrotic pathogenesis, and provide potential targets for fibrotic disease therapies.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.