10 Conditions That Affect the Lungs

3. Emphysema

Emphysema is another type of COPD that affects the air sacs or alveoli in the lungs. Typically, alveoli are elastic and stretchy. In people with emphysema, they are damaged; they lose their shape, and the walls between them may break down, leading to fewer larger air sacs and making breathing harder.

Smoking is the primary cause of emphysema, and there is no cure. Recent research on mice using stem cells as a way to regenerate damaged air sacs shows promise, but more studies are needed to see if these results can be replicated in humans.