The lung’s caretaker cell
Alveolar type 2 cells
Deep in the lung, type 2 cells do two jobs: they make the substance that stops the air sacs collapsing, and they are the cells the lining regenerates from.
What it is
The lungs end in several hundred million alveoli, tiny air sacs where oxygen crosses into the blood. Two cell types line them. Type 1 cells are extremely thin and cover most of the surface — thinness is what lets gas cross quickly. Type 2 cells are smaller, cuboidal, and far more numerous by count.
Type 2 cells are sometimes described as the caretaker of the alveolus.
What it does in the body
Their first job is surfactant. A wet surface has surface tension pulling it inward, and in a sac as small as an alveolus that force is strong enough to collapse it. Type 2 cells manufacture and release a lipid-and-protein mixture that spreads over the fluid film and drops that tension enormously, so the sacs stay open and the effort of breathing stays low.
Their second job is repair. Type 1 cells are so thin and specialised that they cannot divide. When one is lost, a type 2 cell divides and one of the daughters transforms into a replacement type 1 cell. The type 2 cell is, in effect, the resident stem cell of the alveolus.
Where RediCell’s come from
Differentiated from umbilical cord tissue, at or below passage two.
What RediCell supplies from this line
Listed for reference only. Cell counts, particle counts and fill volumes are the specification; pricing is not published here and ordering is restricted to verified practitioners and institutions.
| Code | Preparation | Specification |
|---|---|---|
| RC-LungSCs-10 | Lung Cells (Alveolar Type 2 Cells) | 10M cells / 2 ml vial |
| RC-LungSCs-25 | Lung Cells (Alveolar Type 2 Cells) | 25M cells / 5 ml vial |
| RC-EX-Lung | Lung Exosomes | 110B+ exosomes / 1 ml vial |