Summary of the science
Stem cells are special cells in our body that have the remarkable ability to turn into different types of cells. In the case of the lungs, stem cells play a crucial role in maintaining and repairing the lung tissue. When the lungs get damaged, these stem cells can divide and produce new healthy cells to replace the damaged ones. They help in the healing process and ensure that our lungs can function properly.
About the research
The Hogan lab focuses on studying the cellular and genetic mechanisms of lung development, repair, and maintenance in mice. They investigate stem cells, signalling pathways, and genetic programs involved in lung growth and regeneration. Their research aims to address clinical challenges such as premature lung maturation, lung epithelium repair, fibrosis inhibition, and tumour growth prevention.
About the illustration
To illustrate the lung tissue, we utilised reference photos, making sure to correctly depict the histology of the alveolar regions. The grey indicates the general tissue, the black dots indicate the nucleus of normal cells and the white dots indicate the nucleus of stem cells. As shown here, stem cells aid in the formation of new tissue, to repair the lung tissue that has been damaged.