Conditional Recombination Reveals Distinct Subsets of Epithelial Cells in Trachea, Bronchi, and Alveoli

Pulmonary Epithelial Neuropilin-1 Deletion Enhances Development of Cigarette Smoke–induced Emphysema

“…Our data from filtered air-exposed mice demonstrate mild airspace enlargement after deletion of pulmonary epithelial Nrp1 in both postnatal and adult animals compared with littermate controls. One potential limitation of this model is that our data in Nrp1-sufficient CSSP-rtTA 1 littermates corroborate previous reports of nonspecific effects of the CCSP-rtTA transgene on lung morphometry (51,52). However, our studies revealed that pulmonary epithelial-specific Nrp1 deletion has additional effects on morphometric measures of airspace size.…”

“…Representative morphology from each condition is shown in the top panels ( Figure E3A and Figure 1A), whereas average MLI and MCL for all animals, assessed by computer-assisted morphometry, is shown in the bottom panels ( Figure E3B and Figure 1B). As has been previously reported (51,52), the presence of the CCSP-rtTA transgene in littermates resulted in airspace enlargement relative to control mice that were CCSP-rtTA negative despite similar expression of Nrp1. CCSP-rtTA 1 littermates were therefore used as controls for subsequent experiments.…”

Differential expression of chitinases identify subsets of murine airway epithelial cells in allergic inflammation

“…In addition, there is also staining in parenchymal cells (Fig. 6C) presumably alveolar type II cells, which is a known leak of this promoter (33). We conclude, based on this data, that IL-13 levels in the IL-13 mice are likely to be at least as high if not higher in the distal as the proximal airway.…”

Neonatal Hyperoxia Stimulates the Expansion of Alveolar Epithelial Type II Cells

“…Bitransgenic Scgb1a1-rtTA X (otet) 7 CMV-Cre mice were mated to mT/mG mice that express a floxed myristoylated tomato red (mT) cassette followed a myristoylated EGFP (mG) cassette ( Figure E2). Administration of doxycycline to the chow of pregnant dams deletes the tomato red gene, thereby permitting expression of EGFP in airway Clara and alveolar cells that expand postnatally to produce alveolar type II cells (32). To confirm neonatal hyperoxia stimulates expansion of type II cells, doxycycline was administered to pregnant dams containing triple transgenic Scgb1a1-rtTA X (otet) 7 CMV-Cre X mT/mG fetuses between E14.5 and E18.5 ( Figure 5A).…”