[The myofibroblast. Recent advances (author's transl)].

The myofibroblast morphology is analyzed from the literature. The absence of the specific structural characters previously used for identification is emphasized and the physiological properties are analyzed. The different conditions which influence the appearance of this cell under normal and pathological conditions are reviewed and shown to be associated specially with inflammatory processes. As a conclusion, the evolution of the cell is described to the perspective of mesenchymal dynamics.