Development and Plasticity of Alveolar Type 1 Cells

ABSTRACT: The alveolar type 1 (AT1) cell covers >95% of the gas exchange surface and is extremely thin to facilitate passive gas diffusion. The development of this highly specialized cell is poorly understood including fundamental questions regarding cell number and morphology. Using new molecular stereology and single cell imaging methods, we show that AT1 cells develop via a non-proliferative two-step process while maintaining proliferative potential. In the flattening step, AT1 cells remodel cell junctions and undergo molecular specification. In the folding step, AT1 cells are sculptured to match secondary septa formation, resulting in a single AT1 cell spanning multiple alveoli. AT1 cells grow in size by >10-fold, fueling most of the postnatal lung growth. Strikingly AT1 cells proliferate upon e

ORGANISM(S): Mus musculus

SUBMITTER: Edwin Ostrin 

PROVIDER: E-GEOD-73861 | biostudies-arrayexpress |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-arrayexpress