Regulatory mechanisms of Na+ and fluid absorption across alveolar epithelium

肺中有效的气体交换需要肺泡空气空间几乎没有液体。已经确定，肺泡的液体清除主要由通过位于肺泡上皮细胞顶膜的ENaC通道的主动Na+转运驱动。ENaC的调节机制以及跨肺泡细胞的Na+和液体吸收是复杂的，并且仍然不完全清楚。自2005年以来，我们的研究计划旨在更好地了解控制肺泡Na+和液体吸收的机制。在过去的几年中，我们已经取得了一些重大进展，确定了几个关键的调控因素肺泡运输。事实上，我们已经确定了几个因素，包括另一类离子通道，K+通道，控制ENaC基因启动子活性和ENaC表达，以及肺泡Na+和液体运输的活动。

Effective gas exchange in the lungs requires alveolar air spaces virtually free of liquid. It has been established that liquid clearance from alveoli is mainly driven by active Na+ transport through ENaC channels, located at the apical membrane of alveolar epithelial cells. The regulatory mechanisms of ENaC as well as Na+ and fluid absorption across alveolar cells are complex and remain incompletely understood. Since 2005, our research program thus aims at better understanding the mechanisms that control alveolar Na+ and liquid absorption. During the last few years, we have made some significant progress by identifying several crucial regulatory elements of alveolar transport. Indeed, we have identified several factors including the activity of another class of ion channels, the K+ channels, controlling ENaC gene promoter activity and ENaC expression, as well as alveolar Na+ and liquid transport.