Lung organoids unveil secret: How pathogens infect human lung tissue

How do pathogens invade the lungs? Using human lung microtissues, the team led by Prof. Urs Jenal at the Biozentrum of the University of Basel has uncovered the strategy used by a dangerous pathogen. The bacterium targets specific lung cells and has developed a sophisticated strategy to break through the lungs’ line of defense.
“We have grown human lung microtissues that realistically mimic the infection process inside a patient’s body,” explains Jenal. “These lung models enabled us to uncover the pathogen’s infection strategy. By targeting the goblet cells, the bacteria breach the lung defense and cross the tissue barrier.”
The short video by Benoît Laventie, a senior scientist in Prof. Urs Jenal's research group, shows how the pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa invades human lung tissue.
Learn more about the new study by Jenal lab: www.biozentrum...