What Is Fibrosis?
8. What Is Cardiac Fibrosis?
Cardiac fibrosis occurs when heart tissues become hardened or thickened. The condition takes place in nearly all cases of heart disease and failure. Injuries to the heart result in the deposition of proteins from cardiac fibroblasts. As in other forms of fibrosis, the damage is irreversible.
In a healthy heart, cardiac fibroblasts are responsible for maintaining homeostasis, but when the heart receives an injury, these cells transform into another form called myofibroblast. This alteration changes the structure of the valves and contributes to cellular apoptosis.
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