FC stimulation of alveolospheres resulted in up-regulation of nearly 50% of the genes significantly up-regulated in AEC2 derived from IPF versus control lung tissue, including genes well-known to be associated with IPF, such as MMP7 and SERPINE1 (Fig 2F and SdataF2.10). This evidence concerns the gene MMP7 and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.