Researchers at Columbia University were able to grow fully functional lungs in mouse embryos using transplanted stem cells. The findings suggest that it may be ultimately possible to use the technique to grow human lungs in animals for patients who need transplants and to study new lung treatments.
The paper was published online in the journal Nature Medicine.
“Millions of people worldwide who suffer from incurable lung diseases die without treatment due to the limited supply of donor lungs for transplantation,” said co-senior author Wellington V. Cardoso, MD, PhD, professor of medicine and of genetics & development at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. “Our study shows that it may eventually be possible to develop new strategies for generating human lungs in animals for transplantation as an alternative to waiting for donor lungs.”
