Icing following skeletal muscle injury alters fibro/adipogenic progenitor responses and results in excessive collagen deposition in male rats

Previous studies have examined the effects of icing on macrophages and muscle stem cells during muscle regeneration. Here, we identified FAPs as another cell population affected by icing and involved in excessive fibrosis. Icing delayed FAP proliferation and increased their number when TGF-β1 was markedly elevated, resulting in excessive collagen deposition. These results reveal how icing contributes to muscle fibrosis by affecting FAP behavior and highlight the importance of FAP dynamics in muscle injury management.