Histological Classification of Lung Cells Across Animal Models and Life Stages
A special issue of Cells (ISSN 2073-4409). This special issue belongs to the section "Tissues and Organs".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2026 | Viewed by 24
Special Issue Editor
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Interest in detailed cellular characterization of the lung parenchyma in experimental animal models continues to grow, reflecting the central role of lung architecture in both physiological homeostasis and disease susceptibility. Beyond its relevance for pathological studies, an accurate definition of normal lung organization is increasingly recognized as a prerequisite for interpreting age-dependent, immune-mediated and environmentally determined alterations in the respiratory system.
While rodents models, particularly mice and rats, remain the most widely used experimental system, important gaps remain in the systematic histological classification of the lung parenchyma under basal conditions. These gaps concern the definition of resident cell populations, their spatial organization, species-specific variability and modulation through developmental and ageing stages. As a consequence, slight but biologically relevant differences in parenchyma architecture may be misinterpreted when disease models are analyzed in isolation. These limitations are even more apparent in non-rodent species relevant from a transitional perspective, including rabbits. Recent advances in histological techniques, high-resolution imaging, and spatial cell profiling offer unprecedent opportunities to refine lung cell classification and establish robust anatomical reference frameworks.
This Special Issue on “Histological Classification of Lung Cells across Animal models and Life Stages” aims to provide a forum for studies focusing on the histological characterization of healthy lung parenchyma in animal models that remain insufficiently described, including contributions addressing developmental, maturation-related or ageing-associated changes within the normal lung structure.
Both original research articles and focused review contributions are welcome to address the topics covered by this Special Issue.
Dr. Roberta Ciccimarra
Guest Editor
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Keywords
- lung parenchyma
- histological classification
- normal lung anatomy
- spatial organization
- animal models
- non-rodent models
- comparative lung anatomy
- lung ageing
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