Telomere dysfunction promotes transdifferentiation of human fibroblasts into myofibroblasts

Cells that had undergone telomere dysfunction‐induced senescence secrete numerous cytokines and other molecules, collectively called the senescence‐associated secretory phenotype (SASP). Although certain SASP factors have been demonstrated to promote cellular senescence in neighboring cells in a paracrine manner, the mechanisms leading to bystander senescence and the functional significance of these effects are currently unclear. Here, we...