A research team from Kyoto University in Japan has developed a new "lung chip" system that can simultaneously simulate the proximal airway and distal alveoli of the lungs, which is expected to more accurately study the infection mechanism of respiratory viruses. Respiratory virus infections have repeatedly caused global pandemics, placing a heavy burden on the healthcare system. This type of virus can cause serious damage to the lungs, especially in the proximal region (airways) and distal region (alveoli) of the lungs. Due to the varying responses and complex mechanisms of infection in different regions of the lungs, traditional animal models or simple in vitro systems are difficult to accurately reproduce this process. To address the aforementioned issues, a Japanese research team has developed a miniature physiological system. They induced the differentiation of functional lung epithelial cells through induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology, and combined it with organoid engineering and microfluidic platforms to reconstruct the three-dimensional structure and microenvironment of the human lung airway and alveoli. The research team used iPSC to construct a "lung chip" that can simulate the different reactions of the airway and alveoli during viral infection, with consistent cell sources, effectively reducing the interference caused by individual differences. This achievement provides a more accurate platform for studying the disease mechanisms specific to tissues and viruses, and also contributes to the evaluation and screening of new drugs. This research result not only applies to lung models, but also provides important references for the construction of other human organs and multi organ systems, helping to reveal the interaction mechanisms between organs. The combination of micro physiological systems and iPSC technology will bring new ideas for the development of complex disease models. (New Society)