Matrix stiffening is a feature of pulmonary fibrosis, and is amplified by lung myofibroblasts. Here the authors find that a6 integrin expression is upregulated on lung myofibroblasts in response to matrix stiffness, and this integrin is required for myofibroblast invasion, and fibrosis in an experimental disease model.
- Huaping Chen
- Jing Qu
- Yong Zhou