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Updated: Oct 16, 2025

Flow Cytometric Isolation of Primary Murine Type II Alveolar Epithelial Cells for Functional and Molecular Studies
Published on: December 26, 2012
The role of miRNAs in alveolar epithelial cells in emphysema
Hassan Hayek1, Beata Kosmider2, Karim Bahmed3
1Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Inflammation, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA; Center for Inflammation and Lung Research, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA.
Abstract:
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an inflammatory lung disease becoming one of the leading causes of mortality and morbidity globally. The significant risk factors for COPD are exposure to harmful particles such as cigarette smoke, biomass smoke, and air pollution. Pulmonary emphysema belongs to COPD and is characterized by a unique alveolar destruction pattern resulting in marked airspace enlargement. Alveolar type II (ATII) cells have stem cell potential; they proliferate and differentiate to alveolar type I cells to restore the epithelium after damage. Oxidative stress causes premature cell senescence that can contribute to emphysema development. MiRNAs regulate gene expression, are essential for maintaining ATII cell homeostasis, and their dysregulation contributes to this disease development. They also serve as biomarkers of lung diseases and potential therapeutics. In this review, we summarize recent findings on miRNAs' role in alveolar epithelial cells in emphysema.
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