
The Complete Guide to Know How New-Found Stem Cell Helps Regenerate Lung Tissue - benniebio
https://www.creative-bioarray.com/services/stem-cell-research.htm
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benniebio
Morrisey, leader of the research, the a professor of Cell and Developmental
Biology and director of the Penn Center for Pulmonary Biology and scientific
director of the Institute for Regenerative Medicine, said that, ‘One of the
most important parts of understanding lung regeneration is the alveoli, the
blood in the lungs that absorbs oxygen and the tiny ticks that exhale carbon
dioxide. To better understand these subtle structures, we have been drawing
different types of cells in the alveoli. Understanding cell-cell interactions
should help us discover new players and molecular pathways that will provide
targets for future treatments.

This study explored whether epithelial cells on the alveolar surface have stem
cell behavior that may restore normal respiratory function after serious
injury caused by influenza infection or in diseases such as chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Although some organs, such as the
intestine, replace the entire intestinal epithelial wall with the resident
stem cells every five days, organs such as the lungs show a very slow
replacement and contain stem cells that are only activated when they are
damaged to regenerate this damaged tissue.

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benniebio
The Morrisey team identified an alveolar epithelial progenitor (AEP), in which
the AEP was shed in larger cell populations known as alveolar type 2 cells
(AT2 cells). These cells produce pulmonary surfactant (wetting agent) that
prevents the lungs from collapsing with each breath. Dr. Will Zacharias, co-
author of the paper and a postdoctoral researcher at Morrisy Labs, said, ‘AEP
is a stable cell lineage in the lung that changes slowly, but rapidly
proliferates after injury, regenerating the alveolar walls and restoring gas
exchange.’

AEPs exhibit their own unique set of genes and contain unique epigenetic
markers. The Morrisey laboratory used the genomic information obtained from
mouse AEPs to identify a conserved cell surface protein called TM4SF1 and
ultilize this protein to separate AEP from human lungs. The Morrisey team then
developed a three-dimensional lung organoid by taking advantage of the ability
to isolate mouse AEP and human AEP. Mprrisy claimed that, ‘From our organ-like
culture system, we were able to confirm that AEP is an evolutionarily
conserved alveolar progenitor cell that represents a new target for human lung
regeneration strategies.’

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benniebio
The development of the lung is an evolutionary adaption to life on land. In
order to survive on land, the lungs are necessary for most large animals. Its
complex structure is partly determined by its integration with the
cardiovascular system, which makes it an attractive organ that is difficult to
study from a perspective of regenerative medicine. In addition, lung disease
is one of the leading causes of death in the world, second only to
cardiovascular disease and cancer.

In a new study, researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the
University of Pennsylvania identified a lung progenitor cell that repairs
alveoli (a gas exchange compartment in the lungs). They isolated these
progenitor cells from mice and human lungs, described their characteristics,
and confirmed that they are essential for lung tissue damage caused by severe
flu and other respiratory diseases. Related research results were published
online in the Journal of Nature.

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benniebio
In the further study, the Morrisey team aimed to study influenza-induced lung
tissue injury and other lung disease models to determine where and when AEP
responds to acute lung injury or more chronic conditions . Given the severity
of the current influenza season, this study provides new insights into human
lung regeneration and provides new important genetic and epigenetic pathways
for lung regeneration. The Morrisey team is now exploring which of these
molecular pathways may contribute to the function of AEP in mice and human
lungs, including understanding whether activating Fgf signaling (one of the
key pathways conserved in mouse AEP and human AEP) may promote lung
regeneration. We will keep updating more related and further information for
you.

