Author: Aldiyarbek Nurlan
Editor: Merentsova Anastasia
Pulmonary fibrosis is the formation of scar tissue within the lungs that “envelops” the walls of the air sacs of the lungs, called alveoli, and in advanced stages can lead to respiratory failure and death. However, the causes of pulmonary fibrosis are not fully understood.
Some doctors are concerned that critically ill patients with COVID-19 may develop pulmonary fibrosis after a long stay in an intensive care unit. To search for the most effective means in combating this pathological condition, researchers first study various pharmaceutical compounds, and then they are already tested on cells cultured on flat plastic or hydrogel surfaces. But, unfortunately, these cells are only a miserable resemblance to ours, which significantly distorts the results.
Reconstruction of the three-dimensional fibrous structure of the interstitium of the lung allowed researchers to confirm the effectiveness of the studied drugs, which were not considered as such under traditional screening conditions.
“Our model of lung tissue looks and behaves similarly to what we saw when imaging real lung tissue. Patient cells, within our model, can actively reinforce, destroy or remodel their own environment, as they do during illness, ”the researchers say.
Source: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/09/200914112226.htm
