During embryonic development, pattern formation involves proliferation, migration, differentiation and polarization of cells in a highly coordinated and reproducible manner. Spatial and temporal rearrangement of cells during organogenesis thus determines organ size, shape, orientation and overall architecture. Lung branching morphogenesis, the hallmark feature of the pseudoglandular stage of lung development, has gained particular interest in recent years due to its stereotypy and physiological implications, particularly since disturbance of this intricate process in utero can inflict deleterious consequences on pulmonary function at birth. Therefore this field of study, which often uses the mouse as a model organism, is highly relevant to both pediatric and adult pulmonologists especially since respiratory diseases are among the leading causes of death worldwide.
Recent advances in the field of developmental biology indicate that lung branching morphogenesis is hardwired by various, often intersecting, morphogenetic programs which include paracrine growth factor signaling networks, interactions with extracellular matrix components, cell-cell contacts, innervation, physical forces such as intraluminal pressure and mitotic spindle orientation. This special issue aims at presenting exciting novel insights into the cellular and molecular mechanisms that orchestrate the branching program in the developing lung, particularly in light of the advancements in transgenic and reporter mouse models, imaging technologies, ex vivo explant cultures, three-dimensional (3D) organoid co-culture systems, organs-on-chips, computational biology and systems biology.
This Research Topic welcomes submissions of original research articles, reviews, mini reviews, methods and protocols from various relevant disciplines. The scope of the special issue spans, but is not limited to, the following themes:
• Epithelial-mesenchymal crosstalk during lung branching morphogenesis
• Impact of perturbed lung branching on alveologenesis and (long-term) lung function
• In silico modeling and phenotypic prediction of lung branching morphogenesis
• How do the laws of physics impact lung branching?
• Use of 3D organoids and lung-on-chip to study lung branching
• Analysis of branching modes across multiple organs in the mouse embryo
• Inter-species variations in the branching
During embryonic development, pattern formation involves proliferation, migration, differentiation and polarization of cells in a highly coordinated and reproducible manner. Spatial and temporal rearrangement of cells during organogenesis thus determines organ size, shape, orientation and overall architecture. Lung branching morphogenesis, the hallmark feature of the pseudoglandular stage of lung development, has gained particular interest in recent years due to its stereotypy and physiological implications, particularly since disturbance of this intricate process in utero can inflict deleterious consequences on pulmonary function at birth. Therefore this field of study, which often uses the mouse as a model organism, is highly relevant to both pediatric and adult pulmonologists especially since respiratory diseases are among the leading causes of death worldwide.
Recent advances in the field of developmental biology indicate that lung branching morphogenesis is hardwired by various, often intersecting, morphogenetic programs which include paracrine growth factor signaling networks, interactions with extracellular matrix components, cell-cell contacts, innervation, physical forces such as intraluminal pressure and mitotic spindle orientation. This special issue aims at presenting exciting novel insights into the cellular and molecular mechanisms that orchestrate the branching program in the developing lung, particularly in light of the advancements in transgenic and reporter mouse models, imaging technologies, ex vivo explant cultures, three-dimensional (3D) organoid co-culture systems, organs-on-chips, computational biology and systems biology.
This Research Topic welcomes submissions of original research articles, reviews, mini reviews, methods and protocols from various relevant disciplines. The scope of the special issue spans, but is not limited to, the following themes:
• Epithelial-mesenchymal crosstalk during lung branching morphogenesis
• Impact of perturbed lung branching on alveologenesis and (long-term) lung function
• In silico modeling and phenotypic prediction of lung branching morphogenesis
• How do the laws of physics impact lung branching?
• Use of 3D organoids and lung-on-chip to study lung branching
• Analysis of branching modes across multiple organs in the mouse embryo
• Inter-species variations in the branching
