From lung development to lung regeneration

Impairment of gas exchange due to malformation or disruption of the alveoli represents a key hallmark of structural lung diseases. There is no curative therapy available. The recovery of an intact lung structure represents a desirable option in the development of therapeutic concepts. The current knowledge about the formation of new alveoli during lung development and during compensatory lung growth of the adult lung serves as a basis for the identification of target cells and molecules which are capable to induce the formation of new alveoli in the diseased lung.