Supporting the notion that TERT and TERC deficiency might contribute to pulmonary fibrosis by mechanisms dependent on telomerase activity but not necessarily telomere length, telomerase activity is induced in IPF and NSIP fibroblasts and systemic sclerosis lung compared to healthy donor samples (Fridlender et al., 2007; Liu et al., 2013a). Here, TERC is linked to pulmonary fibrosis.