What Is a Fibroblast?
A fibroblast is a type of cell which is responsible for making connective tissue. Fibroblasts play a critical role in making up the large majority of the bulk of an organism, and they can be found in huge numbers all over the body. These cells can differentiate into cells responsible for producing several different kinds of connective tissue, including chondroblasts, which are responsible for making collagen, and osteoblasts, which make bone. Fibroblasts have two different stages. When the cell is actively dividing and making connective tissue, it is known as a fibroblast. When it goes dormant, it becomes a fibrocyte. Fibrocytes change shape, becoming more cylindrical over time, which makes them easy to identify, and they can be seen along the margins of many types of connective tissue. These cells arise from mesenchymal stem cells, stem cells which are capable of differentiating into several different kinds of cells as they are needed. These cells are present from birth in the body, a
