Embryonic Index: Drm.DD.DrF. Dermal fibroblasts comprise a diverse population of cells and are an essential component of skin. These cells are responsible for producing and organizing skin connective tissue and for enabling skin to recover from injury. Various fibroblast types are defined according to their location in the skin layer. The most prominent dermal layers – papillary and reticular dermis – are composed of two dermal fibroblast subpopulations that produce unique arrays of ECM molecules.