The alveolar type II epithelial cell: A multifunctional pneumocyte
| Autor: | P.R. Miles, J.H. Tucker, Vincent Castranova, Jean Rabovsky |
|---|---|
| Rok vydání: | 1988 |
| Předmět: |
Pathology
medicine.medical_specialty Alveolar Epithelium Cell Separation Lung injury Biology Toxicology Epithelium Body Water Pulmonary surfactant medicine Animals Humans Secretion Pharmacology A549 cell Lung Regeneration (biology) Epithelial Cells Pulmonary Surfactants respiratory system Pulmonary Alveoli medicine.anatomical_structure Pharmaceutical Preparations Oxidation-Reduction |
| Zdroj: | Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology. 93:472-483 |
| ISSN: | 0041-008X |
| DOI: | 10.1016/0041-008x(88)90051-8 |
| Popis: | The epithelial surface of the alveoli is composed of alveolar type I and type II cells. Alveolar type I cells comprise 96% of the alveolar surface area. These cells are extremely thin, thus, minimizing diffusion distance between the alveolar air space and pulmonary capillary blood. Type II cells are spherical pneumocytes which comprise only 4% of the alveolar surface area, yet they constitute 60% of alveolar epithelial cells and 10-15% of all lung cells. Four major functions have been attributed to alveolar type II cells: (1) synthesis and secretion of surfactant; (2) xenobiotic metabolism; (3) transepithelial movement of water; and (4) regeneration of the alveolar epithelium following lung injury. Therefore, alveolar type II cells play important roles in normal pulmonary function and in the response of the lung to toxic compounds which may cause lung damage. Techniques have now been developed to isolate and purify alveolar type II epithelial cells from lung tissue. Such cellular preparations afford bioassay systems to monitor the effects of occupational or environmental pollutants on alveolar pneumocytes and should yield important information concerning the etiology of pulmonary disease in the alveolar region of the lung. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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