How extracellular matrix stiffness guides region-specific lung epithelial differentiation using stem-cell-derived organoids, and why that model matters.
Key Takeaways
- Stepwise softening of ECM produced airway organoids with proximal-to-distal epithelial compositions
- Increased ECM stiffness promoted AT2 and AT1 maturation and drove AT2-to-AT1 transition
- Organoids reproduced SARS-CoV-2 variant infection tropisms supporting region-specific disease modeling