Pulmonary fibrosis consists of progressive and irreversible lung tissue
stiffening that is typically associated with organ failure. This is a
major health problem and a leading cause of death worldwide. The
mainstays of current therapy for lung fibrosis rely on lung
transplantation in end-stage fibrotic diseases, which has severe
limitations, such as the shortage of organ donors and risk of rejection.
There is thus an active search for efficient treatments, which can only
be achieved with a better understanding of pulmonary fibrosis
pathophysiology. Recent advances in 3D tissue engineering led to the
development of platforms for drug testing, and that contribute to a
better understanding of pulmonary fibrosis pathophysiology. These
complex 3D lung platforms recapitulate lung function, structure, and
cell and matrix interactions, therefore providing the means for
understanding the mechanisms and mediators involved in the fibrotic
process. In this perspective, this review discusses the most relevant 3D
cell culture platforms to engineer fibrotic lung models as well as their
in vitro applications.
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