In contrast to lung fibroblasts--no signs of senescence in skin fibroblasts of patients with emphysema.

Smoking is known to be linked to skin ageing and there is evidence for premature senescence of parenchymal lung fibroblasts in emphysema. To reveal whether the emphysema-related changes in cellular phenotype extend beyond the lung, we compared the proliferation characteristics of lung and skin fibroblasts between patients with and without emphysema. Parenchymal lung fibroblasts and skin fibroblasts from the upper torso (thus limiting sun exposure bias) were obtained from patients without, or with mild, or with moderate to severe emphysema undergoing lung surgery.