Spatial orientation of microtubules in contractile fibroblasts in vivo

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Abstract
Contracting fibrous tissues from skin wounds in pigs, and scars around silicone implants in humans, contained fibroblasts that had multiple bundles of 60-80 Å microfilaments with electron-dense bodies, features typical of contractile fibroblasts both in vivo (myofibroblasts) and in vitro. These in vivo fibroblasts contained many 220 Å diameter microtubules, which paralleled plasma membranes in the long axis of the cells. The spatial orientation of the microtubules in these myofibroblasts strongly suggests a bracing or scaffolding function.