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Repair and Defense Systems at the Epithelial Surface in the Lung

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Integrative Physiology in the Proteomics and Post-Genomics Age

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Abstract

The vast majority of infectious agents enter the body through the mucosal surfaces, such as those of the lung and intestine. These surfaces are covered by an epithelium that forms the interface between the external environment and the internal milieu. The epithelium is an essential physical barrier between the potentially hostile outside world and the host, but is also actively involved in processes like infection, inflammation, and immunity. The epithelium is therefore considered an important component of the host defense system. Epithelial layers are frequently injured because they are exposed to environmental toxic agents such as chemicals and micro-organisms, and to mechanical injury. To prevent invasion of the underlying tissue by pathogens and toxic agents, this epithelial injury must be followed by a rapid repair response. This chapter focuses on the interplay between this epithelial repair and the host defense system at the epithelial surface, two mechanisms that appear to act in concert to protect the host from infection. Whereas many of the principle mechanisms that operate in the diverse epithelia display marked similarities, some characteristics are typical for one type of epithelium. This chapter focuses on the pulmonary epithelium.

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  1. Department of Pulmonology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands

    Pieter S. Hiemstra

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  1. Department of Physiology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada

    Wolfgang Walz PhD

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Hiemstra, P.S. (2005). Repair and Defense Systems at the Epithelial Surface in the Lung. In: Walz, W. (eds) Integrative Physiology in the Proteomics and Post-Genomics Age. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1385/1-59259-925-7:201

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