Regulation of connective tissue metabolism by autacoid mediators.

Current evidence from in vitro studies draws attention to families of molecules able to stimulate replication of different classes of connective tissue cells and to stimulate the formation of some or all of the components of the extracellular matrix for which such cells are responsible. Some mediators are known to stimulate synthesis and release of enzymes with potential for degradation of the connective tissue matrix. A few of these mediators have been purified sufficiently to permit chemical characterization and immunologic measurement in man.