Figure 2
From: Viruses as co-factors for the initiation or exacerbation of lung fibrosis
Schematic representation depicting potential mechanisms involved in viral augmentation of fibrosis. Viral infection may precede the fibrotic insult or occur subsequent to the fibrotic challenge. In both cases, recruitment of inflammatory cells, including fibrocytes, increases in pro-fibrotic mediator production and epithelial cell injury may play important roles.