Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • RESEARCH BRIEFINGS

Airway hillocks can withstand injury and protect specialized stem cells

Airway hillocks were identified in 2018. These barrier structures in the mammalian airway are composed of tightly interlocking flat cells that shield an underlying population of highly regenerative and specialized stem cells. Remarkably, hillocks seem to resist all major forms of environmental damage, ranging from toxic substances and acid to infection.

This is a summary of: Lin, B. et al. Airway hillocks are injury-resistant reservoirs of unique plastic stem cells. Nature 629, 869–877 (2024).

Access options

Rent or buy this article

Prices vary by article type

from$1.95

to$39.95

Learn more

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-024-02562-8

‘Expert opinion’ is published under a CC BY 4.0 licence.

References

  1. Montoro, D. T. et al. Nature 560, 319–324 (2018).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Plasschaert, L. W. et al. Nature 560, 377–381 (2018).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Shah, V. S., Chivukula, R. R., Lin, B., Waghray, A. & Rajagopal, J. Annu. Rev. Pathol. 17, 23–46 (2022).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Auerbach, O. et al. N. Engl. J. Med. 256, 97–104 (1957).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Winternitz, M. C., Wason, I. M. & McNamara, F. P. The Pathology of Influenza (Yale Univ. Press, 1920).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Subjects

Latest on:

Nature Careers

Jobs

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing

Search

Advanced search

Quick links