Molecular mapping of interstitial lung disease reveals a phenotypically distinct senescent basal epithelial cell population

Compromised regenerative capacity of lung epithelial cells can lead to cellular senescence, which may precipitate fibrosis. While increased markers of senescence have been reported in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), the origin and identity of these senescent cells remain unclear, and tools to characterize context-specific cellular senescence in human lung are lacking. We observed that the senescent marker p16 is predominantly localized to...