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Updated: Jul 14, 2026
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Engineered Lung Tissues Prepared from Decellularized Lung Slices
Published on: January 21, 2022
A tissue-engineered model of fetal distal lung tissue
M J Mondrinos1, S Koutzaki, P I Lelkes
1School of Biomedical Engineering, Science and Health Systems, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
Summary
Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) like FGF10, FGF7, and FGF2 can control lung cell development in engineered tissues. Combinations of these FGFs promote epithelial budding and blood vessel formation for potential lung therapies.
Area of Science:
- Tissue Engineering
- Developmental Biology
- Pulmonary Medicine
Background:
- Previous studies focused on engineered distal lung tissue constructs.
- Understanding lung development requires studying cell behavior and growth factors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of exogenous fibroblast growth factors (FGF10, FGF7, FGF2) on fetal pulmonary cells.
- To assess the morphogenic effects of FGFs alone and in combination on lung tissue development in vitro.
Main Methods:
- Cultured embryonic day 17.5 murine fetal pulmonary cells in 3D collagen gels.
- Utilized whole mount immunohistochemistry and confocal microscopy to analyze cell morphology.
- Administered individual and combined FGF treatments to assess their impact.
Main Results:
- FGF10 alone induced widespread epithelial budding.
- FGF7 and FGF2 promoted epithelial structure dilation; FGF2 also enhanced endothelial morphogenesis and mesenchymal proliferation.
- The combination of FGF10/7/2 resulted in robust epithelial budding and uniform endothelial network formation.
Conclusions:
- Specific combinations of exogenous FGFs can precisely control lung epithelial and mesenchymal cell behavior in engineered systems.
- Tissue-engineered fetal lung constructs offer potential for lung augmentation in pediatric conditions like pulmonary hypoplasia.
- Engineered systems provide valuable in vitro models for studying lung development and disease.
