TGFB1 and keloid: As shown in Fig. 2, mortalin protein levels were 25 times higher in KFs relative to normal dermal tissue, which was further upregulated by 2.3-fold when KFs were activated with transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 (10 ng/mL), a strong fibrosis inducing factor that plays an important role in the keloid pathophysiology.