Project description:Resident stem/progenitor cells in the lung are important for tissue homeostasis and repair. However, a progenitor population for alveolar type II (ATII) cells in adult human lungs have not been identified. Here we isolated alveolar epithelial progenitor cells (AEPCs) from adult human lungs. AEPCs showed mesenchymal stem cell (MSC)-like characteristics combined with ATII cell-phenotypes. AEPCs had the capability for self-renewal and the potential to generate ATII cells in vitro. Furthermore, cells expressing similar markers were present within alveolar walls in normal lungs and these cells were significantly increased in ATII cell hyperplasias. These results suggest that adult human lungs contain a progenitor population for ATII cells.
Project description:Wnt/β-catenin signaling regulates progenitor cell fate decisions during lung development and in various adult tissues. Ectopic activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling promotes tissue repair in emphysema, a devastating lung disease with progressive loss of parenchymal lung tissue. The identity of Wnt/β-catenin responsive progenitor cells and the potential impact of Wnt/β-catenin signaling on adult distal lung epithelial progenitor cell function in emphysema, are poorly understood. Here, we used a TCF/Lef:H2B/GFP reporter mice to investigate the role of Wnt/β-catenin signaling in lung organoid formation. We identified an organoid-forming adult distal lung epithelial progenitor cell population characterized by a low Wnt/β-catenin activity, which was enriched in club and alveolar epithelial type (AT)II cells. To further characterize the lung epithelial populations with different Wnt activities, we perform microarray analysis using freshly isolated Wnthigh/low/negative lung epithelial cells to study their transcriptome, specially the enriched genes and signaling pathways in the Wnt low population related epithelial stem cell functions.
Project description:Single-nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) was used to profile the transcriptome of 16,015 nuclei in human adult testis. This dataset includes five samples from two different individuals. This dataset is part of a larger evolutionary study of adult testis at the single-nucleus level (97,521 single-nuclei in total) across mammals including 10 representatives of the three main mammalian lineages: human, chimpanzee, bonobo, gorilla, gibbon, rhesus macaque, marmoset, mouse (placental mammals); grey short-tailed opossum (marsupials); and platypus (egg-laying monotremes). Corresponding data were generated for a bird (red junglefowl, the progenitor of domestic chicken), to be used as an evolutionary outgroup.
Project description:Alveolar epithelial type 2 (AT2) cells are facultative progenitor cells that drive adult alveolar regeneration after acute lung injury. Using transcriptomic analyses from in vivo mouse injury models, we define the role of Tfcp2l1 in regulating AT2 cell behavior during lung regeneration.
Project description:Alveolar epithelial type 2 (AT2) cells are facultative progenitor cells that drive adult alveolar regeneration after acute lung injury. Using transcriptomic analyses from in vivo mouse injury models, we define the role of Tfcp2l1 in regulating AT2 cell behavior during lung regeneration.
Project description:Resident stem/progenitor cells in lungs are important for tissue homeostasis and repair. We isolated human lung progenitor cells and named alveolar epithelial progenitor cells (AEPCs)(Fujino N, et al. 2011. Lab Invest. 91:363). AEPCs have phenotypes of both alveolar epithelial type II (ATII) cells and mesenchymal stem cells. AEPCs had the potential to generate ATII-like cells in vitro. ATII-like cells derived from AEPCs expressed protein and mRNA of pulmonary surfactant, and displayed lamellar bodies containing the surfactants. However, it has not been evaluated whether global gene expression of the ATII-like cells from AEPCs was similar to that of mature ATII cells isolated from human lung tissues. This study demonstrated gene expression profiles of ATII-like cells from AEPCs. In addition, transcriptomes in AEPCs and mature ATII cells were deposited in the GEO website (GSE21095 and GSE29133, respectively).
