Table 1 Overview of cells relevant for alveologenesis
From: Alveologenesis: key cellular players and fibroblast growth factor 10 signaling
Name of cell | Name of progenitor cell | Localization of cell | Function of cell for alveologenesis | Interaction with other cells |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Alveolar epithelial cell type I (AEC I) | Bipotent progenitor (Sftpc+, Pdpn+) [1] | Epithelium | Providing the majority of alveolar surface area | AEC II (during regeneration) [16] |
Alveolar epithelial cell type II (AEC II) | Bipotent progenitor (Sftpc+, Pdpn+) [1] | Epithelium, close proximity to lipofibroblast | Surfactant production, transdifferentiation to AEC I after lung injury [16] | Formation and maintenance of Lipofibroblast via Pthrp (parathyroid hormone-related protein)/Pparg (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma) signaling pathway [35, 37] |
Alveolar myofibroblast | Alveolar myofibroblast progenitor; Pdgfra + LIF (to be validated) [25] | Mesenchyme, Tip of growing secondary septae | Deposition of Elastin in the apex of secondary septae and secondary septae formation [30, 55] | Not known |
Lipofibroblast | Mesenchyme, close proximity to AEC II | Secretion of triglycerides and leptin for AEC II [37] postnatal niche for AEC II [34] | ||
Endothelial cell | Endothelial progenitor cell (hemangioblasts) | Subepithelial mesenchyme (SEM) | Angio-/vasculogenesis important for alveologenesis [47] |