Differentiation Of Urine-derived Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells To Alveolar Type â…¡ Epithelial Cells

Objective:This study explored whether urine-derived human induced pluripotent stem cells (UiPSCs) had the ability to differentiate into human alveolar type â…¡ (AT â…¡) epithelial cells.Methods:In this study, we got human induced pluripotent stem cells (HiPSCs) from reprogramming exfoliated renal epithelial cells which existed in urine. Immunofluorescence staining, karyotyping and teratoma experiments have proved that these cells are HiPSCs which are pluripotent. Our four-step induction protocol was conducted to generate AT â…¡ cells from UiPSCs.Results:UiPSCs could differentiate into AT II cells and these cells had phenotypic properties similar to mature human AT â…¡ cells, such as outstretched and epithelium-like morphology and the specific expression markers of AT â…¡ cells (Surfactant Protein A, Surfactant Protein B and Surfactant Protein C).Conclusion:We presented a simple, effective and noninvasive way of indicating that AT â…¡ cells could be generated from UiPSCs. It might be useful for the treatment of lung disease caused by dysfunction of AT â…¡ cells.