Cigarette Smoke Specifically Affects Small Airway Epithelial Cell Populations and Triggers the Expansion of Inflammatory and Squamous Differentiation Associated Basal Cells

Abstract excerpt

Smoking is a major risk factor for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and causes remodeling of the small airways. However, the exact smoke-induced effects on the different types of small airway epithelial cells (SAECs) are poorly understood. Here, using air–liquid interface (ALI) cultures, single-cell RNA-sequencing reveals previously unrecognized transcriptional heterogeneity within the small airway...