Creating a human lung to precisely treat respiratory diseases

A team of scientists has succeeded in achieving a major medical achievement: developing a miniature model of the human lung using stem cells from only one person, which opens new horizons for understanding respiratory diseases and treating them in a way tailored to each individual patient..

The innovation is based on a simple and profound principle that says, “If we can create a miniature copy of a person’s lung in the laboratory, we will be able to study how it responds to various diseases and test the effectiveness of drugs on it before presenting it to the patient himself.”

The research team was able to convert stem cells taken from a single donor into all types of basic lung cells, which means that the new model is distinguished by the fact that all its biological components are genetically identical and derived from a single source..

Dr. Max Gutierrez, the lead researcher, said that this technology allows for the first time to study respiratory diseases in a personalized way that was not possible before. Instead of relying on general models or experiments on animals that are biologically different from humans, scientists can now simulate the lungs of a specific individual with high accuracy..

According to Medical Express, the model works by simulating the microenvironment of the alveoli, which are the small sacs in the lung responsible for exchanging oxygen and carbon dioxide, which also form the first line of defense against inhaled microbes..

The lung cells are arranged on a thin membrane in a special device, where they form a vital barrier similar to natural alveoli. But the real achievement is the device’s ability to simulate the actual breathing movement through rhythmic three-dimensional expansion and contraction, which accurately simulates the movement of a live lung during breathing..

To test the effectiveness of the model, the researchers simulated tuberculosis infection by adding the bacteria that causes the disease, and the results were amazing in their accuracy, as the model was able to closely simulate the early stages of infection to reality..

The model showed the same changes that occur in infected human lungs, starting with the accumulation of immune cells and the formation of inflammatory foci, all the way to the collapse of the protective barrier of the alveoli five days after infection, just as happens in the real disease case..

The real importance of this innovation lies in its wide application possibilities. Scientists can now create lung models from cells from people with a certain genetic predisposition to lung diseases, or from patients suffering from special conditions, and test different treatments on them before applying them clinically, an approach that significantly reduces reliance on biological experiments..

For his part, Dr. Jackson Locke, one of the lead researchers, explained that the new model provides an accurate alternative to animal experiments and avoids the significant differences between the biological systems of animals and humans..

The research team is now looking forward to expanding the scope of future applications for this model, as it can be used to study a wide range of lung diseases, from viral infections such as influenza and Covid-19, to chronic diseases such as asthma and pulmonary fibrosis, and even in lung cancer research. Most importantly, this model paves the way for a new era of personalized medicine, where treatments can be designed based on the patient’s individual response, which increases their effectiveness and reduces unwanted side effects..

This scientific development represents a shift in the philosophy of medical treatment. Instead of following the traditional approach to treatment that relies on general trials, treatment can now be customized for each patient based on how his or her mini-version of the lung responds to different medications, which means safer and more effective treatment, avoiding unnecessary trials, and reducing potential risks.