Successfully transformed stem cells into lung cells

Researchers at Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) have successfully transformed human stem cells into fully functional lung cells, opening a new path to creating lungs. Biochemical engineering with the patient's own cells.

In addition to the ability to produce lung tissue for transplantation, these cells can also be used to study lung development and the potential to seek advanced therapies for lung-related diseases. .

With the development of medicine, scientists around the world have succeeded in converting human stem cells into many types of cells such as neurons, retinal cells and blood cells. However, the creation of lung cells remains a major challenge.

"When an embryo develops, the embryo produces the first three layers of cells or embryos. In which the epidermis becomes skin and nervous system, the dermis becomes the heart, muscle, and connective tissue. endings, blood vessels, blood, kidneys and eventually the endoderm will become intestine, liver, pancreas, stomach, esophagus, thyroid gland, parathyroid and lung gland. One reason it is hard to make from stem cells , " said the team leader," said Hans-Willem Snoeck.

Lung tissue cells under a microscope

Previous studies using mouse embryos as models cannot demonstrate how lung components form from the endoderm. Therefore, researchers were still unable to create lung cells until 2011 when Snoeck discovered a method to turn human embryonic stem cells into a specific type of cell, precursor to lung cells.

Snoeck said: "It was the first discovery. We used what we knew from mouse embryo development and discovered something new."

Snoeck's latest discovery has identified new factors that allow human embryonic cells to fully convert into fully functional lung epithelial cells - these are cells that cover the lung surface . There are at least 7 types of lung cells and cells that line the respiratory tract and now scientists can create cells with functions from the ability to maintain lung sacs (small air sacs at the end of the airway). Absorbing oxygen from the air) to restore damage.

The cells inside the lungs form connective tissue and muscles, along with vascular cells and other mesenchymal cells that require a different approach to create. Snoech's new discovery will open a method that, according to him, could create " biochemical engineering lungs" , extremely low rates of rejection after transplantation and formed from the cells of patient. "We need to reprogram adult cells (such as skin and blood) into pluripotent stem cells similar to embryonic stem cells and convert them into lung cells. The next step is to feed. transplant these cells into donor lungs or even pig lungs, from where all donated cells are removed, however, the challenge is how to remove all cells without working. touch the structure of the lungs, " said Snoeck.

Cultivating a patient's cells into the structure of a lung is a real challenge because this process requires scaling up the generation of cells and this is costly. All types of lung cells and airway lining cells also need to be cultured in the exact locations of the biologically engineered lung.

Snoeck's findings are expected to improve understanding of difficult-to-diagnose pulmonary diseases. The ability to model diseases and study them at the molecular scale will lead to new drug treatments. Snoeck said: "A typical example is idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis - a disease in which type II pulmonary epithelial cells are thought to play an important role, but the cause and mechanism of the disease are not well understood. "The disease kills 20,000 people in the United States each year and so far there is no drug therapy except lung transplantation. This therapy has a high mortality rate due to complications after transplantation."

In addition, Snoeck's findings will help scientists to better understand the development of human lungs and help treat congenital diseases affecting the lungs and airways such as air leaks - esophagus and tracheal stenosis. .

The team thinks it will take another 5 to 10 years for the biochemical lungs to be ready for transplantation. Besides, fundraising is also a big challenge. Snoeck is currently working with the bioengineering department and breast surgeons at Columbia University to implement the plan. Their research has just been published in the journal Nature Biotechnology and Columbia University has also patented the Snoeck discovery.