cAMP signaling is postulated to play a role in distal lung epithelial differentiation based on several observations. First, it enhances fibroblast growth factor-induced transdifferentiation of early tracheal epithelium into respiratory epithelium. Second, there are cAMP-responsive elements in the heterologous promoters of Sftpb and Sftpa genes. Third, cAMP augments the effect of dexamethasone in maintaining differentiation of human fetal type II pneumocyte culture. However, this concept has not been thoroughly tested in vivo. In the current study, we modulated cAMP signaling in developing distal lung epithelium in vivo using an inducible transgenic system that expressed a mutant form of G␣ s (G␣ s Q227L). We failed to demonstrate the ability of cAMP to promote distal epithelial maturation during embryonic stages. The results argue against its physiological role in this process. In addition, induction of cAMP signaling at the late pseudoglandular stage but not during the canalicular or saccular stage surprisingly delayed distal differentiation by suppressing the expression of Sftpc, Sftpa, and Aquaporin5 as well as the formation of lamellar bodies. This stage-specific inhibitory effect was observed in the absence of cellular toxicity or changes in branching. Transgenic lungs did not show significant changes in the known pathways that are important for distal differentiation. Therefore, we propose the existence of yet-to-be identified cAMP-sensitive novel regulators of early distal lung epithelial differentiation. Although the delay of differentiation seemed to be reversible at later stages, it still led to pronounced permanent postnatal airspace enlargement due to impaired paracrine function of distal epithelium in regulating alveolar myofibroblast development.Development of the murine lung is initiated at embryonic day 9.5 (E9.5), 2 followed by the pseudoglandular (E10.5-16.5), canalicular (E16.5-17.5), saccular (E17.5-P5), and alveolar stages (P5-35) (1). Three morphogenic events at the pseudoglandular stage are important for distal lung epithelial development. First, through branching morphogenesis, the lung primordium evolves into an extensive network of tubular epithelium composed of eight generations of branches. This process requires a complex interaction between several signaling molecules, such as FGF10 (fibroblast growth factor 10), SHH (sonic hedgehog), and BMP4 (bone morphogenetic protein 4) (2-6). Second, distal-proximal polarity of the branching epithelial tree is established at the same time that branching takes place. As early as E10.5-11.5, the expression of many genes is spatially restricted to the distal end of the branches. Shh, Wnt7b, Id2, thrombospondin, transforming growth factor-2, Etv5/Pea3, and Bmp4 are among the genes showing this pattern of expression (7). Distal fate specification requires the BMP4, FGFs, and -catenin pathways. Mice deficient in either the BMP4 or -catenin pathways showed complete transformation of distal epithelium into proximal epithelium with little sign of type...