Fibrosis in the central nervous system: from the meninges to the vasculature

After an injury, the body starts a wound healing process. This process includes inflammation and the creation of a temporary matrix that supports cell migration. Eventually, the matrix is replaced with new tissue. Fibrosis happens when the normal tissue is replaced by connective tissue. In the central nervous system, it used to be thought that fibrosis only happened after injuries that damaged the meninges, but recent studies show it can also happen when the meninges are intact. The discovery of perivascular fibroblasts as a source of fibrosis has led to new research into how fibrosis contributes to various CNS injuries and potential treatments.

• 1
  Fibrotic scars in the CNS can originate from the perivascular niche, specifically from perivascular fibroblasts, even when the meninges remain intact after injury.
• 2
  TGFβ1 signaling plays a significant role in CNS fibrosis, and inhibiting this pathway can reduce fibrotic scar formation and promote axon regeneration.
• 3
  The inflammatory response, involving both innate and adaptive immunity, contributes to the development of fibrosis after CNS injury.