RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Fibrocytes in pulmonary fibrosis: a brief synopsis JF European Respiratory Review JO EUROPEAN RESPIRATORY REVIEW FD European Respiratory Society SP 552 OP 557 DO 10.1183/09059180.00007713 VO 22 IS 130 A1 Maharaj, Shyam A1 Shimbori, Chiko A1 Kolb, Martin YR 2013 UL http://err.ersjournals.com/content/22/130/552.abstract AB Fibrocytes are bone marrow-derived, circulating mesenchymal progenitor cells that play a role in several fibrotic disorders, including lung fibrosis. They are attracted to injured tissue by various chemokines. It is likely that fibrocytes play a detrimental role in tissue homeostasis and promote fibrosis, although this paradigm needs further confirmation. This would make fibrocytes a possible novel treatment target for fibrotic disorders. Fibrocytes also have some potential as a biomarker for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and other diseases, but the promising preliminary data from single centre studies still require independent validation. Despite several, as yet, unresolved issues, it has become clear that fibrocytes are more than an incidental finding in lung injury and repair, and may hold great promise for the future of IPF management.