Taking Advantage of 3D Human Cell Culture Platforms to Study Pulmonary Fibrotic Diseases

Abstract

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.