Deformation-induced transitional myofibroblasts contribute to compensatory lung growth.

ABSTRACT: In many mammals, including humans, removal of one lung (pneumonectomy) results in the compensatory growth of the remaining lung. Compensatory growth involves not only an increase in lung size, but also an increase in the number of alveoli in the peripheral lung; however, the process of compensatory neoalveolarization remains poorly understood. Here, we show that the expression of α-smooth muscle actin (SMA)-a cytoplasmic protein characteristic of myofibroblasts-is induced in the pleura following pneumonectomy. SMA induction appears to be dependent on pleural deformation (stretch) as induction is prevented by plombage or phrenic nerve transection (P < 0.001). Within 3 days of pneumonectomy, the frequency of SMA⁺ cells in subpleural alveolar ducts was significantly increased (P <

SUBMITTER: Bennett RD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5283924 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature