A multipotent mouse distal airway secretory cell population that contributes to both airway and alveolar regeneration

Cldn10+ epithelial cells enriched in the most distal mouse airways are a facultative progenitor that, after injury, generate basal, multi-ciliated, and alveolar epithelial lineages.

• Why it matters: The distal airway is a distinct lung compartment, but its specific role in repair and how it contributes to alveolar regeneration is not well defined.
• What they did: Using Cldn10-expression–based lineage tracing in mice, the Cldn10+ lineage marks distal airway secretory cells in homeostasis, then proliferates after injury to produce multiple epithelial cell types.
• The result: After injury, Cldn10 lineage-labeled cells show multi-potency across the lung epithelial axis and, in severely remodeled regions, migrate from airways to differentiate into alveolar epithelial cells.

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