[HTML][HTML] Trans-differentiation of alveolar epithelial type II cells to type I cells involves autocrine signaling by transforming growth factor β1 through the Smad pathway
M Bhaskaran, N Kolliputi, Y Wang, D Gou… - Journal of biological …, 2007 - ASBMB
Type II alveolar epithelial cells (AEC II) proliferate and transdifferentiate into type I alveolar
epithelial cells (AEC I) when the normal AEC I population is damaged in the lung alveoli. We
hypothesized that signaling by transforming growth factor β1 (TGF β1), through its
downstream Smad proteins, is involved in keeping AEC II quiescent in normal cells and its
altered signaling may be involved in the trans-differentiation of AEC II to AEC I. In the normal
lung, TGF β1 and Smad4 were highly expressed in AEC II. Using an in vitro cell culture …
epithelial cells (AEC I) when the normal AEC I population is damaged in the lung alveoli. We
hypothesized that signaling by transforming growth factor β1 (TGF β1), through its
downstream Smad proteins, is involved in keeping AEC II quiescent in normal cells and its
altered signaling may be involved in the trans-differentiation of AEC II to AEC I. In the normal
lung, TGF β1 and Smad4 were highly expressed in AEC II. Using an in vitro cell culture …