U.S. researchers have for the first time used stem cells to grow lung organoids with a complete vascular network. These “mini-lungs” closely mimic human lung development, according to a study published in Cell.
The breakthrough not only sheds light on early human development but also paves the way for building vascularized models of other organs like the intestines and colon, offering powerful tools for disease research, drug testing, and personalized treatment.
A collaboration between the University of California, Los Angeles, and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, the study innovatively adopted a strategy to co-culture lung tissue and blood vessels simultaneously.
The resulting organoids boast four key advantages: richer cell types, more refined 3D structure, higher cell survival rates, and a more mature developmental state.
The team first applied this groundbreaking model to study alveolar capillary dysplasia with misalignment of pulmonary veins (ACD/MPV), a congenital lung disease caused by FOXF1 gene mutations. Traditional organoid models struggled to replicate this condition, as it primarily damages blood vessels and support cells.
Using the new method, researchers derived stem cells from ACD/MPV patients, grew vascularized lung organoids, and successfully recreated the primary vascular defects and subsequent lung tissue abnormalities. They note these organoids can also study other pulmonary vascular diseases, marking a key step in using human tissue models for research and potentially reducing reliance on animal models in drug development.
Currently, the organoids resemble fetal lung development. The team plans to induce more mature lung structures by simulating mechanical stretching during breathing and air exposure.
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