Live long and prosper: the enterprise of understanding diseased epithelium

Abstract

The epithelium is a particularly complicated and dynamic tissue, and dysregulation of epithelial structure and function is a hallmark of several lung diseases. Motivated by the life and recent passing of Leonard Nimoy, we highlight several recent studies that explore the nuanced relationship between the epithelium and disease progression. Specifically, we focus on recent innovative and integrative approaches that shed new light on epithelial wounding, healing, and development.