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Review
. 2024 Dec;45(4):821-833.
doi: 10.1016/j.ccm.2024.08.004. Epub 2024 Sep 20.

Cellular Mechanisms of Lung Injury: Current Perspectives

Jamie E Meegan  1 , Alicia N Rizzo  2 , Eric P Schmidt  2 , Julie A Bastarache  3
Affiliations
Review

Cellular Mechanisms of Lung Injury: Current Perspectives

Jamie E Meegan et al. Clin Chest Med. 2024 Dec.

Abstract

The alveolar-capillary barrier includes microvascular endothelial and alveolar epithelial cells and their matrices, and its disruption is a critical driver of lung injury during development of acute respiratory distress syndrome. In this review, we provide an overview of the structure and function of the alveolar-capillary barrier during health and highlight several important signaling mechanisms that underlie endothelial and epithelial injury during critical illness, emphasizing areas with potential for development of therapeutic strategies targeting alveolar-capillary leak. We also emphasize the importance of biomarker and preclinical studies in developing novel therapies and highlight important areas warranting future investigation.

Keywords: Alveolar epithelial type 1cells; Alveolar epithelial type 2cells; Alveolar epithelium; Glycocalyx; Lung microvascular endothelium; Permeability.

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Conflict of interest statement

Disclosure The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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