Bone-derived Osterix+ osteolineage cells are a source of tumor-promoting myofibroblastic cancer-associated fibroblasts in breast cancer

Nature Communications, Published online: 11 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s41467-026-73980-7 Cancer associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are important regulators of breast cancer (BC) progression. Here the authors identify a distinct pro tumorigenic myofibroblastic CAF population that derives from bone-resident Osterix+ osteolineage cells and retains osteolineage features in the tumor microenviroment.