PDGF signaling regulates the adipocyte-to-fibroblast transition in wound healing

cells (ADPCs) are induced adjacent to skin wounds and contribute to the wound fibroblast population. ADPCs lose adipocyte characteristics and acquire fibroblast characteristics, including collagen expression, smooth muscle actin expression, and cell proliferation. Active PDGFRα signaling in ADPCs increases cell proliferation and improves wound angiogenesis and re-epithelialization, while deletion of Pdgfra has the opposite effect. Wound ADPCs persist as fibroblast-like cells after completion of wound healing, indicating an enduring change rather than a transient downregulation of adipocyte characteristics.