Fibroblast Heterogeneity in Wound Healing: Hurdles to Clinical Translation

Recent work has revealed that fibroblasts are remarkably heterogeneous cells, but the appropriate lens through which to study this variation (lineage, phenotype, and plasticity) and its relevance to human biology remain unclear. In this opinion article, we comment on recent breakthroughs in our understanding of fibroblast heterogeneity during skin wound healing, and on open questions that must be addressed to clinically translate these findings in order to minimize scarring in patients. We emphasize the need for experimental models of wound healing that better approximate human biology, as well as comparison of scarring and regenerative phenotypes to uncover master regulators of fibrosis.