May 2018 in “Cell stem cell” This study reports that myoepithelial cells in submucosal glands can act as reserve stem cells, regenerating surface airway epithelium after severe injury through a mechanism involving Sox9 and Wnt signaling.
551 citations
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November 2013 in “Nature” This study found that differentiated airway epithelial cells can revert into functional stem cells in vivo, suggesting a more general role for this dedifferentiation process in tissue regeneration in higher vertebrates.
October 2025 in “Folia Morphologica” This study found that lymph vessel morphology and density in airways differed based on location and type of epithelium, with the highest density in the ciliated epithelium of the nasal passages and site-specific patterns apparent in both fetal and adult specimens.
4 citations
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November 2024 in “Cell Biology and Toxicology” This study suggests that targeting olfactory receptors in the lung epithelium might help treat odorant-induced asthma in cases without type 2 inflammation, as these receptors could play a role in airway sensitivity to smells.
46 citations
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December 2018 in “Genes & Development” This review discusses lung regeneration and highlights the role of facultative stem/progenitor cells, but it reports no new findings and calls for further exploration of underlying mechanisms.