Isogenic Lung-on-a-Chip Models

What if we could recreate the human lung in the lab—without using real lung tissue?

Scientists are using isogenic induced pluripotent stem cells, or iPSCs,

which are reprogrammed adult cells that can turn into almost any cell type. From a single genetic

source, they grow both airway and alveolar lung cells. These cells are

integrated into microfluidic lung-on-a-chip devices that simulate breathing motion, airflow,

and blood flow, closely mimicking how the lung functions in the body. Because the cells

are genetically identical, researchers can directly compare how airway and alveolar

regions trigger different innate immune responses when exposed to infections or inflammatory