A Developmental Step Along the ‘Omics Journey
Human lungs (most people have two), as the sine qua non organs of the respiratory system, are a remarkable and beautiful evolutionary adaptation to terrestria l, bipedal existence. Not only are they the main “logistics center” for providing the fuel and eliminating the waste of cellular respiration, but they also serve critical immunologic, metabolic, and even sensory roles. Much of what we know about lung structure and cellular composition is based on 19th-century innovations (histology, spirometry)
