Stem cells ‘migrate’ to repair damaged lung cells, study shows

A new Yale-led study has found that stem cells migrate to help repair damaged lung cells caused by injuries such as viral or bacterial infections.

The results were: published In the journal February 19 Developmental cells.

“This is an exciting new insight. Stem cell biology“, said Maurizio Ciuccioli, assistant professor of genetics and comparative medicine at the Yale School of Medicine and corresponding author of the paper.

For the study, the researchers looked at two main types of cells alveolar Epithelium in life Mice. Alveolar epithelial type 1 cells, which line the lung tissues, are important for the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide gases. and are known to function as alveolar type 2 cells or (AT2s). cell To fill these injured or dead epithelial cells in the alveoli, or air sacs, in the lungs. It was not known exactly how the AT2s accomplished this feat.

Using advanced time-lapse imaging techniques and genetic mouse models, the research team was able to trace the fate of individual AT2s in the intact lung of living breathing in response to injury. They were able to show for the first time that a large proportion of alveolar stem cells (AT2s) migrate to the site of injury.

Researchers say this behavior is important in the regeneration of alveoli, the air sacs that serve as gas exchange sites in the lungs.

“The results demonstrate that stem cell migration between individual functional units is an important driver of tissue regeneration in the mammalian lung,” said Chioccioli.