Cell-Based Strategies for the Treatment of Injury to the Developing Lung
Extremely preterm infants often develop a chronic lung disease known as bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). Although advances in perinatal care enable survival following extremely preterm birth, BPD remains a common complication that lacks specific treatment. Since the landmark discovery of stem cells, their therapeutic potential in regenerative medicine is being harnessed for various diseases including BPD. This chapter reviews recent advances in our understanding of lung stem cells and the exciting pre-clinical data showing the potential for stem cells to prevent/repair lung damage in experimental models of BPD. It is expected that these findings will lead in the near future to clinical trials investigating stem cell therapy in preterm infants. Almost half a century since the first description of BPD, there may be a therapy on the horizon.