Filling the Dermis
While the epidermis of mammalian skin contains primarily kerotinocytes, the dermis is composed largely of fibroblasts. The dermis is a type of connective tissue, and fibroblasts produce the two major structural components of its extracellular matrix: collagen fibers, which give the dermis strength and traction; and, elastin, which make the dermis stretchable and flexible. Unlike epithelial cells, fibroblasts do not form flat, monolayers but rather can migrate around the extracellular matrix. Thus, while epithelial cells line the body, fibroblasts are the ones to “sculpt it.”
Image: Fibroblast cells in culture imaged by multiphoton microscopy.
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