Fibroblasts are mesenchymal cells derived from the embryonic mesoderm. They have been extensively used for a wide range of cellular and molecular studies. This is mainly because they are one of easiest types of cells to grow in culture, and their durability makes them amenable to a wide variety of manipulations ranging from studies employing gene transfection to microinjection. There is good evidence that fibroblasts in different parts of the body are intrinsically different. Fibroblasts secrete a non-rigid extracellular matrix that is rich in type I and/or type III collagen. They are responsible for much of the synthesis of extracellular matrix in connective tissues and play major roles in wound healing. Many diseases are associated with fibroblasts, either because fibroblasts are implicated in their etiology or because of the fibrosis that accompanies damage to other cell types in tissues. Because the thyroid is easily susceptible to inflammatory autoimmune diseases that can result in tissue damage, thyroid fibroblasts may play an important role in regulating thyroid function and reaction to disease. HThF from AcceGen Research Laboratories are isolated from human thyroid tissue. HThF are cryopreserved at passage one and delivered frozen. Each vial contains ＆gt;5×10^5 cells in 1 ml volume. HThF are characterized by their spindle morphology and immunofluorescent method with antibody to fibronectin. HThF are negative for HIV-1, HBV, HCV, mycoplasma, bacteria, yeast and fungi. HThF are guaranteed to further expand for 15 population doublings at the condition provided by AcceGen Research Laboratories.
