Living with lung disease: experimental models to assess the long-term effects of prematurity

Laboratory models provide an important tool in helping to understand the cellular and molecular drivers of respiratory disease. Many animal models exist that model the neonatal outcomes of preterm birth. Discoveries at the laboratory bench from examination of both human tissue and tissues from animal models have informed the life-saving technologies and clinical care used today. Yet animal laboratory models of preterm birth have rarely been utilized beyond the neonatal period, despite growing reports of respiratory symptoms and subnormal lung function throughout childhood. Elucidation of the driving factors and physiological explanations underpinning poor outcomes in survivors of preterm birth are crucial to optimize clinical care and identify therapeutic targets. Can existing neonatal models be utilized to study respiratory outcomes beyond infancy? This review answers the question by highlighting the clinical evidence underpinning an active respiratory disease process after preterm birth and exploring the benefits and drawbacks of existing models to conduct research into the long-term respiratory outcomes of preterm birth.