Alveolar Epithelial Cell II Transdifferentiation

Hong-Yan Lu*, Li-Wen Chang

(Department of Pediatrics, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan430030, China)

Abstract:The mammalian pulmonary alveolar epithelium is comprised of two types of cells, called alveolar epithelial cell II (AECII) and alveolar epithelial cell I (AECI). AECII can transdifferentiate into AECI to repair damaged epithelium after lung injury or during fetal lung development. AECII grown in primary culture can be observed to undergo such a transition in vitro. This review hereby summarizes the presentation, influences and regulation of AECII transdifferentiation and its roles in lung injury.

Key words: alveolar epithelial cell II; alveolar epithelial cell I; transdifferentiation

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.30471824)

*Corresponding author. Tel: 86-27-62745962, E-mail: lhy5154@163.com