The authors induced pulmonary fibrosis in mice that had been altered with bone marrow labeled with a fluorescent green marker protein. In these mice, cells derived from bone marrow–derived stem cells fluoresce green, while those cells that reside in the lung do not. Most of the collagen-producing fibroblasts observed in the lungs of these mice fluoresced green, indicating that they were of bone marrow origin.
In an accompanying commentary Sarah Dunsmore and Steven Shapiro from Harvard Medical School discuss this new concept in pulmonary fibrosis. They state "understanding the mechanisms of engraftment will be important as clinical applications of bone marrow stem cell therapy are explored. The clinical implications of these findings are significant; for example, we might now consider bone marrow stem cell therapy to correct structural alterations in the lung." They conclude "translation of our understanding of disease pathogenesis into clinical practice will bring us closer to our real goal – improving the lives of our patients and ultimately curing disease.
TITLE: Bone marrow–derived progenitor cells in pulmonary fibrosis
AUTHOR CONTACT:
Sem H. Phan
University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
Phone: (734) 763-6454
Fax: (734) 936-1938
E-mail: shphan@umich.edu
View the PDF of this article at: http://www.jci.org/cgi/content/full/113/2/243
ACCOMPANYING COMMENTARY: The bone marrow leaves its scar: new concepts in pulmonary fibrosis
AUTHOR CONTACT:
Steven D. Shapiro
Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Phone: (617) 732-7599
Fax: (617) 232-4623
E-mail: sshapiro@rics.bwh.harvard.edu
Journal of Clinical Investigation