Development and Control of Pulmonary alveolar Stability

描述（由申请人提供）：本申请拟继续进行肺实质的发展、控制和紊乱的多学科研究。该提案的目的是审查在发育和产后生活期间以及在健康和疾病状态下与肺实质形成和稳定有关的一些机制。通过稳定，我们指的是发展和维持肺泡结构在肺气体交换的最佳状态的综合物理化学和生物过程。在我们过去的研究中，我们强调肺泡上皮的发育、肺表面活性物质系统的功能以及导致感染和炎症的肺泡疾病过程的研究。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This application proposes to continue multidisciplinary studies of development, control and disorders of the pulmonary parenchyma. The objectives of the proposal are to examine some of the mechanisms involved in the formation and stabilization of the pulmonary parenchyma during development and post-natal life, and in states of health and disease. By stabilization we mean the integrated physiochemical and biological processes that develop and maintain alveolar architecture in an optimal state for pulmonary gas exchange. As in our past studies we emphasize investigations of alveolar epithelial development, functions of the lung surfactant system, and alveolar disease processes leading to infection and inflammation. The broad goals of the three inter-related projects proposed are: Project 1: Structure and function of surfactant proteins. To study the relationship between the structure of the surfactant proteins, specifically SP-D, and their functions in regulating the immune milieu of the alveolus. Project 2: Expression and role of CEACAM6 in the alveolus. To investigate the role of carcinoembryonic antigen-6 in alveolar innate immune defense, surfactant function, and epithelial response to acute lung injury. Project 3: Alveolar epithelial cell fates: mapping and regulation. To study alveolar epithelial cell lineages during development and regeneration and to elucidate novel regulatory molecules important to the process of alveolar epithelial differentiation. The overall purpose of these studies is to deepen our understanding of the processes underlying lung parenchymal stability and to contribute to new concepts and treatments for lung diseases associated with disorders of alveolar stability, growth, maturation, and repair after injury.