近期，来自Department of Pharmacology and Regenerative Medicine, University of Illinois College of Medicine 的Yuru Liu教授等在新刊《Chinese Medical Journal Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine》上发表了题为“Epithelial stem cells and niches in lung alveolar regeneration and diseases”的综述文章，内容精彩，值得一读。摘要如下：
Alveoli serve as the functional units of the lungs, responsible for the critical task of blood–gas exchange. Comprising type I (AT1) and type II (AT2) cells, the alveolar epithelium is continuously subject to external aggressors like pathogens and airborne particles. As such, preserving lung function requires both the homeostatic renewal and reparative regeneration of this epithelial layer. Dysfunctions in these processes contribute to various lung diseases. Recent research has pinpointed specific cell subgroups that act as potential stem or progenitor cells for the alveolar epithelium during both homeostasis and regeneration. Additionally, endothelial cells, fibroblasts, and immune cells synergistically establish a nurturing microenvironment—or “niche”—that modulates these epithelial stem cells. This review aims to consolidate the latest findings on the identities of these stem cells and the components of their niche, as well as the molecular mechanisms that govern them. Additionally, this article highlights diseases that arise due to perturbations in stem cell–niche interactions. We also discuss recent technical innovations that have catalyzed these discoveries. Specifically, this review underscores the heterogeneity, plasticity, and dynamic regulation of these stem cell–niche systems. It is our aspiration that a deeper understanding of the fundamental cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying alveolar homeostasis and regeneration will open avenues for identifying novel therapeutic targets for conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), fibrosis, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), and lung cancer.
摘要的中文翻译如下：
肺泡是肺的功能单位，负责血液-气体交换的关键任务。包括I型（AT1）和II型（AT2）细胞在内，肺泡上皮细胞持续遭受外部侵袭，如病原体和空气传播的颗粒。因此，保护肺的功能需要上皮层的稳态更新和修复性再生。这些过程中的功能障碍会导致各种肺部疾病。最近的研究已经确定了在稳态和再生过程中作为肺泡上皮潜在干细胞或祖细胞的特定细胞亚群。此外，内皮细胞、成纤维细胞和免疫细胞协同建立了调节这些上皮干细胞的培育微环境或称为“生态龛（niche）”。这篇综述旨在巩固关于这些干细胞的鉴定及其生态龛的组成部分以及调控它们分子机制的最新发现。此外，这篇文章强调了由于干细胞-生态龛相互作用的扰动而引起的疾病。我们还讨论了催化出这些发现的最新技术创新。特别是，这篇综述强调了这些干细胞-生态龛系统的异质性、可塑性和动态调节。我们希望能更深入地了解肺泡稳态和再生的基本细胞和分子机制，这将为确定慢性阻塞性肺疾病（COPD）、纤维化、2019冠状病毒病（COVID-19）和肺癌等疾病的新治疗靶点开辟道路。
精彩插图：
全文链接：
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772558823000646
Cite this article:
Zhang J, Liu Y. Epithelial stem cells and niches in lung alveolar regeneration and diseases. Chin Med J Pulm Crit Care Med. 2024;2(1):17-26.
