scRNA-seq analysis identified two ABC subsets: Krt5low Tp63low Krt17+ ABCs_1, found in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), and Krt5hi Tp63hi Krt17+ ABCs_2, which have been observed in cultured tissues from patients with IPF but not in traditional murine models. Here, KRT17 is linked to idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.