Direct exposure to SARS-CoV-2 and cigarette smoke increases infection severity and alters the stem cell-derived airway repair response

Arunima Purkayastha, Chandani Sen, Gustavo Garcia Jr., Justin Langerman, David W. Shia, Luisa K. Meneses, Preethi Vijayaraj, Abdo Durra, Caroline R. Koloff, Delilah R. Freund, Justin Chi, Tammy M. Rickabaugh, Apoorva Mulay, Bindu Konda, Myung S. Sim, Barry R. Stripp, Kathrin Plath, Vaithilingaraja Arumugaswami, Brigitte N. Gomperts 

Tuesday, November 17, 2020
Published in Cell Stem Cell
Microscopic images of human stem cell–derived airway tissue models with cell nuclei (blue) and SARS-CoV-2 virus infected cells (green); tissue exposed to cigarette smoke (right) had 2 to 3 times more infected cells than non-exposed tissue (left). | UCLA Broad Stem Cell Research Center/Cell Stem Cell