Bronchioalveolar stem cells are a main source for regeneration of distal lung epithelia in vivo.

ABSTRACT: Bronchioalveolar stem cells (BASCs) are a potential source for lung regeneration, but direct in vivo evidence for a multipotential lineage contribution during homeostasis and disease is critically missing, since specific genetic labeling of BASCs has not been possible. We developed a novel cell tracing approach based on intein-mediated assembly of newly engineered split-effectors, allowing selective targeting of dual-marker expressing BASCs in the mouse lung. RNA sequencing of isolated BASCs demonstrates that BASCs show a distinct transcriptional profile, characterized by co-expression of bronchiolar and alveolar epithelial genes. We found that BASCs generate the majority of distal lung airway cells after bronchiolar damage but only moderately contribute to cellular turnover under h

SUBMITTER: Salwig I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6576211 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature