Ron Evans and his colleagues have shown that excess thyroid hormone receptor signaling during embryonic development in mice impairs the differentiation of type I pneumocytes, a key lung cell type needed for proper gas exchange. They also show that treatment with antithyroid drugs during this stage of development rescues the defect in lung maturation, suggesting a possible therapy for some children born with respiratory distress syndrome.
- Liming Pei
- Mathias Leblanc
- Ronald M Evans