Increased retraction of collagen lattices by fibroblasts from patients with scleroderma

Skin fibroblasts from eight scleroderma patients were seeded in collagen lattices, and their capacity of retraction was compared to that of fibroblasts from normal volunteers. In all cases, pathological fibroblasts retracted collagen lattices earlier and more intensively than controls. This in vitro feature may be related to the cutaneous retraction which characterizes scleroderma lesions in vivo.