How lung support cells help newborns form air sacs
Uncovering the mesenchyme-specific roles of planar cell polarity in lung development
This project looks at whether signals in the lung's supporting (mesenchymal) cells help newborn lungs make the thin barriers and air sacs needed for breathing, with implications for premature infants.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Princeton University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Princeton, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11323575 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From a patient's perspective, researchers aim to understand how the connective tissue around the airways thins and shapes the tiny air sacs that newborns need to breathe. They will use advanced live imaging and genetically modified mice that lack or report specific planar cell polarity proteins (like Vangl and Wnt5a) to watch cell behaviors in real time. The team will combine tissue-specific gene knockouts with molecular reporters to trace which signals and cell movements drive sac formation. Findings could point to molecular targets for therapies to help infants whose lung maturation is delayed.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This particular project does not enroll patients directly, but the eventual clinical applications would be aimed at premature infants with delayed lung sacculation or those at risk for bronchopulmonary dysplasia.
Not a fit: People with adult-onset lung conditions unrelated to developmental sacculation or those seeking immediate clinical treatments should not expect direct benefit from this basic research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify pathways that lead to new therapies to help premature infants complete air sac formation and improve lung function long-term.
How similar studies have performed: Prior animal studies and the investigators' preliminary data show that planar cell polarity proteins can affect lung shape, but translating these findings toward human treatments is still early and largely untested.
Where this research is happening
Princeton, UNITED STATES
- Princeton University — Princeton, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Nelson, Celeste M — Princeton University
- Study coordinator: Nelson, Celeste M
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.