We have recently published a paper identifying precursor populations in peripheral lung (2017), and have also discovered that these populations can be found in multiple tissues. Currently, dogma focuses on the bone marrow as the source for these cells during inflammation and for seeding mature cells in peripheral tissues. Why these precursor cells are in peripheral tissues and what their role is, is unknown. This has the potential to significantly add to basic biology knowledge, with broad implications.
Role of stem cell precursors in tissues
We have recently published a paper identifying precursor populations in peripheral lung (2017), and have also discovered that these populations can be found in multiple tissues.