The Id2+ distal tip lung epithelium contains individual multipotent embryonic progenitor cells.
Journal Article (Journal Article)
The conducting airways (bronchi and bronchioles) and peripheral gas exchange (alveolar) regions of the mammalian lung are generated by a process of branching morphogenesis. Evidence suggests that during embryonic development, the undifferentiated epithelial progenitors are located at the distal tips of the branching epithelium. To test this hypothesis, we used an Id2-CreER(T2) knock-in mouse strain to lineage trace the distal epithelial tip cells during either the pseudoglandular or canalicular phases of development. During the pseudoglandular stage, the tip cells both self-renew and contribute descendents to all epithelial cell lineages, including neuroendocrine cells. In addition, individual Id2(+) tip cells can self-renew and contribute descendents to both the bronchiolar and alveolar compartments. By contrast, during the later canalicular stage, the distal epithelial tip cells only contribute descendents to the alveoli. Taken together, this evidence supports a model in which the distal tip of the developing lung contains a multipotent epithelial population, the fate of which changes during development.
Full Text
Duke Authors
Cited Authors
- Rawlins, EL; Clark, CP; Xue, Y; Hogan, BLM
Published Date
- November 2009
Published In
Volume / Issue
- 136 / 22
Start / End Page
- 3741 - 3745
PubMed ID
- 19855016
Pubmed Central ID
- PMC2766341
Electronic International Standard Serial Number (EISSN)
- 1477-9129
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
- 10.1242/dev.037317
Language
- eng
Conference Location
- England