Cord Stem Cells Turned into Lung Cells

Umbilical cord blood stem cells have been altered into lung cells, which U.S. researchers say opens up development for treatment of several lung diseases.

The researchers were able to turn the cord blood cells into a lung cell called type II alveolar cells, a University of Minnesota news release said. The alveolar cells are responsible for secreting a substance that allows the lung’s air sacs to remain open so air can move. The cells also help repair the airway.

In the future, we may be able to examine cord blood from babies who have lung diseases, such as cystic fibrosis, to do more research to understand how these diseases evolve, as well as to develop better medical treatments, David McKenna, medical director of the Clinical Cell Therapy Lab at the University of Minnesota Medical Center in Minneapolis, said.

Type II alveolar cells develop late in fetal development, which is why some premature babies are born with underdeveloped lungs, McKenna said.