UC San Diego

While the lung is well known for its vital functions of performing gas exchange and supplying oxygen to the whole body, its ability of interrogating environmental stimuli has been neglected. In this dissertation, I am presenting two studies during my Ph.D. training, addressing 1) in vivo sensory functions of pulmonary neuroendocrine cells (PNECs), a rare, innervated epithelial cell type; and 2) underlying mechanisms of how the lung responds to mechanical cues under both developmental and pathological conditions. The former revealed an unanticipated role of PNECs in regulating gas exchange by signaling to endothelial cells through secreted neuropeptides. The latter unveiled underappreciated mechanosensation and signaling functions of alveolar type I (AT1) cells, the cell type performing gas exchange, in promoting lung construction perinatally and reconstruction upon mechanical insults-coupled injury in adult. These findings uncover novel sensory functions of the lung epithelium, where they play a central role in physiological regulations in respond to atmospheric cues.