BACKGROUND: Although progenitor cells have been described in distinct anatomical regions of the lung, description of resident stem cells has remained elusive. METHODS: Surgical lung-tissue specimens were studied in situ to identify and characterize human lung stem cells. We defined their phenotype and functional properties in vitro and in vivo. RESULTS: Human lungs contain undifferentiated human lung stem cells nested in niches in the distal airways. These cells are self-renewing, clonogenic, and multipotent in vitro. After injection into damaged mouse lung in vivo, human lung stem cells form human bronchioles, alveoli, and pulmonary vessels integrated structurally and functionally with the damaged organ. The formation of a chimeric lung was confirmed by detection of human transcripts for epithelial and vascular genes. In addition, the self-renewal and long-term proliferation of human lung stem cells was shown in serial-transplantation assays. CONCLUSIONS: Human lungs contain identifiable stem cells. In animal models, these cells participate in tissue homeostasis and regeneration. They have the undemonstrated potential to promote tissue restoration in patients with lung disease. (Funded by the National Institutes of Health.).
BACKGROUND: Although progenitor cells have been described in distinct anatomical regions of the lung, description of resident stem cells has remained elusive. METHODS: Surgical lung-tissue specimens were studied in situ to identify and characterize human lung stem cells. We defined their phenotype and functional properties in vitro and in vivo. RESULTS:Human lungs contain undifferentiated human lung stem cells nested in niches in the distal airways. These cells are self-renewing, clonogenic, and multipotent in vitro. After injection into damaged mouse lung in vivo, human lung stem cells form human bronchioles, alveoli, and pulmonary vessels integrated structurally and functionally with the damaged organ. The formation of a chimeric lung was confirmed by detection of human transcripts for epithelial and vascular genes. In addition, the self-renewal and long-term proliferation of human lung stem cells was shown in serial-transplantation assays. CONCLUSIONS:Human lungs contain identifiable stem cells. In animal models, these cells participate in tissue homeostasis and regeneration. They have the undemonstrated potential to promote tissue restoration in patients with lung disease. (Funded by the National Institutes of Health.).
Authors: James J H Chong; Vashe Chandrakanthan; Munira Xaymardan; Naisana S Asli; Joan Li; Ishtiaq Ahmed; Corey Heffernan; Mary K Menon; Christopher J Scarlett; Amirsalar Rashidianfar; Christine Biben; Hans Zoellner; Emily K Colvin; John E Pimanda; Andrew V Biankin; Bin Zhou; William T Pu; Owen W J Prall; Richard P Harvey Journal: Cell Stem Cell Date: 2011-12-02 Impact factor: 24.633
Authors: Alvin T Kho; Kaifeng Liu; Gary Visner; Thomas Martin; Francis Boudreault Journal: Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol Date: 2013-08-30 Impact factor: 5.464
Authors: Ryan LaRanger; Jennifer R Peters-Hall; Melissa Coquelin; Busola R Alabi; Christopher T Chen; Woodring E Wright; Jerry W Shay Journal: Tissue Eng Part A Date: 2017-09-25 Impact factor: 3.845