Figure 6.

Cardiomyocytes and Fibroblasts’ orchestration of arrhythmogenic extracellular matrix degradation. During acute inflammation, failure in the occurrence of resolution mechanisms (FRM) promotes exacerbation of inflammatory signals generated from apoptotic cardiac cells and activated cardiac FB, leading to an aggravation of myocardial damages. The extracellular matrix (ECM) is intensively remodeled and degraded, promoting a persistence of fibrosis, scar formation, abnormal cardiac function, and increased risk of arrhythmias, including AF.