中国生物工程杂志

Recent studies have identified the existence of adult stem cells in nearly all tissues, and enormous reports showed that adult stem cells have a greater differentiation potential than previously expected. Adult stem cells have been suggested to contribute to the repair and regeneration of injured lungs and ameliorate pulmonary fibrosis evidently in mice by homing to the injured tissue immediately after injury. Stem cells likely play key roles in the repair of diverse lung injuries. However, due to very low rates of cellular proliferation in vivo in the normal steady state, cellular and architectural complexity of the respiratory tract, and the lack of an intensive research effort, lung stem cells remain poorly understood compared to those in other major organ systems. The goal of this review is to provide an overview of the stem cells within the lung and the adult stem cells that are believed to take place in the lung regeneration, and describe potential clinical applications with respect to human pulmonary disease.