A whole new type of cell has been discovered in human lungs. Called airway secretory cells (RASC), these appear to participate in the regeneration of other cells and could be targeted by new treatments.
The secretory cells of the respiratory tract
The researchers of theuniversity of pennsylvania made this discovery by studying the genetic activity of lung cells from human donors. The RASC were found in the distal branches of the airways, where they produce proteins that form the fluid that lines the airways. On closer inspection, the team found that they were closely related to cells AT2which function as stem cells for pulmonary alveoli.
It seems that the RASC can differentiate into cells AT2, differentiating in turn into functional cells of the alveoli. Surprisingly enough, it turns out that the cells RASC are not present in mouse lung cells, highlighting some of the shortcomings of animal models of disease and treatment.
Published in the journal Naturethis work could have implications for common lung diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Most commonly triggered by smoking, this condition is characterized by damage to the alveoli, affecting airflow in the patient’s lungs, and also known to disrupt cell function AT2.
Potential targets for the treatment of different lung diseases
The team discovered that the problems could start further upstream. In samples from people with COPD and former smokers not affected by this disease, the researchers found many cells AT2 showing abnormalities, suggesting that the cells RASC do not properly differentiate into cells AT2and could therefore be potential targets for the treatment of lung diseases such as COPD.
” COPD is a devastating and common disease, but we don’t really understand the cell biology that explains why or how some patients develop it. “, highlighted Maria Basil, lead author of the study. ” Identifying new cell types, especially new progenitor cells, whose function is impaired by this condition, could really speed up the development of new treatments.. »
[related_posts_by_tax taxonomies=”post_tag”]
The post Discovery of a whole new type of human cell nested in the lungs appeared first on Gamingsym.