Using special lung capillary cells to help air sacs heal after injury
Aerocyte-mediated Alveolar Epithelial Regeneration following Lung Injury
This project uses tiny capillary cells called aerocytes to help repair the lung’s air sacs in people with acute lung injuries like ARDS.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Illinois at Chicago NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11260245 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This research focuses on aerocytes, a recently discovered type of capillary cell next to the lung’s air sacs that appears to send signals important for repair. Scientists will study how aerocyte-derived signals, especially a molecule called R-spondin3, influence alveolar epithelial regeneration using lab models of lung injury and related experiments. They will test whether increasing or preserving these signals improves recovery of the air sac lining after damage. The work is mostly lab-based and preclinical, but it aims to identify targets that could lead to new treatments or clinical trials for patients with ARDS.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with acute lung injury or ARDS would be the group most likely to be involved in future trials or to benefit from therapies developed from this work.
Not a fit: People whose lung disease is primarily caused by chronic scarring or conditions unrelated to alveolar epithelial damage may not benefit from this approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could lead to treatments that speed lung repair, reduce deaths, and lessen long-term breathing problems after ARDS.
How similar studies have performed: Early laboratory studies link R-spondin3 and blood-vessel signals to lung repair, but using aerocytes themselves as a therapy is a new approach not yet tested in humans.
Where this research is happening
Chicago, UNITED STATES
- University of Illinois at Chicago — Chicago, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zhou, Bisheng — University of Illinois at Chicago
- Study coordinator: Zhou, Bisheng
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.