Lung defences: an overview

Lung defences: an overview

Lung defences are dependant on a complex array of mechanisms in the upper airways, which must to be differentiated from those of the distal airways. However, the first lines of defence in the proximal and distal airways are predominantly based on mechanical barriers and several mechanisms related to innate immunity. If pathogens or antigens reach the interstitium, dendritic cells will take up t...

Impact of environmental factors on lung defences

The lungs are one of the most important organs exposed to environmental agents. The lungs have the ability to protect themselves by both immunological and nonimmunological mechanisms. An individual’s susceptibility to the impact of environmental agents will determine their adverse effects. This article focuses on air pollution, in particular ozone (O3), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), particulate matte...

Cellular Defences of the Lung: Comparative Perspectives

Occupational and environmental lung diseases: an overview.

Chronic respiratory diseases other than lung cancer that are of occupational or environmental origin, along with cigarette smoking, account for over 100,000 deaths per year and are among the leading causes of respiratory disability in the United States and throughout the world. Lung cancer from these same exposures may account for 40,000 additional deaths per year. In spite of cigarette smoking...

Interstitial lung diseases: an epidemiological overview.

Epidemiological studies on interstitial lung diseases (ILDs) may be schematically subdivided into the following major types: 1) quantifications of disease, broken down into incidence, prevalence and mortality data; 2) identification of aetiological factors; and 3) clinical epidemiological studies. Epidemiological data may be obtained from different sources or population groups, using different ...