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Cystic Fibrosis (CF)

Cystic fibrosis is an inherited condition due to mutation in a chloride channel which results in the formation of abnormal mucous and leads to severe pulmonary complications. We have previously performed experiments using type 2 pulmonary epithelial cells, isolated from adult rat lungs, and have demonstrated that these cells can engraft the lung and transmigrate to the airways after intravascular delivery. We are currently developing methods to differentiate bone marrow stem cells to an epithelial phenotype, initially by co-culture with lung epithelial cells, to determine whether these cells have the ability to incorporate into the distal airways of the lung.