Exhaustion of Airway Basal Progenitor Cells in Early and Established Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

ABSTRACT:

Rationale

Up to 40% of smokers develop chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) over a period that spans decades. Despite the importance of COPD, much remains to be learned about susceptibility and pathogenesis, especially during early, prediagnostic stages of disease. Airway basal progenitor cells are crucial for lung health and resilience because of their ability to repair injured airways. In COPD, the normal airway epithelium is replaced with increased basal and secretory (mucous) cells and decreased ciliated cells, suggesting that progenitors are impaired.

Objectives

To examine airway basal progenitor cells and lung function in smokers with and without COPD.

Methods

Bronchial biopsies taken from smokers at risk for COPD and lung cancer were used to acquire air

SUBMITTER: Ghosh M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6020409 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature