fibrocellular

Fibrocellular is an adjective used in biology and pathology to describe tissue that contains both fibrous elements, such as collagen, and cellular components, particularly fibroblasts. It is commonly used to characterize connective tissue with a definite but variable mix of extracellular matrix and cells.

In histology, fibrocellular tissue refers to a stroma in which fibroblasts are interspersed with collagen fibers and other matrix molecules. The term is often used to describe wound healing and growth, where early granulation tissue has high cellularity with proliferating fibroblasts and capillaries, whereas mature scar tissue becomes more fibrous and less cellular.

The concept is descriptive rather than diagnostic. It contrasts with fibrous tissue, which is dense and relatively acellular, and with highly cellular tissues that contain many cell types. The degree of cellularity and the composition of the extracellular matrix determine the designation as fibrocellular.

Used in pathology reports and histological descriptions, fibrocellular may appear in reference to the stroma of various lesions, indicating a mixed fibroblast-rich matrix rather than a purely fibrous or purely cellular lesion. Overall, the term provides a concise way to convey the balanced presence of both cellular and fibrous components in tissue.