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Updated: May 27, 2026

In Vivo Assessment of Alveolar Macrophage Efferocytosis Following Ozone Exposure
Published on: October 22, 2019
Role of Apoptosis in Amplifying Inflammatory Responses in Lung Diseases
1Program in Translational Lung Research, Division of Pulmonary Sciences and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado at Denver, School of Medicine, Denver, Colorado.
Abstract:
Apoptosis is an important contributor to the pathophysiology of lung diseases such as acute lung injury (ALI) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Furthermore, the cellular environment of these acute and chronic lung diseases favors the delayed clearance of apoptotic cells. This dysfunctional efferocytosis predisposes to the release of endogenous ligands from dying cells. These so-called damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) play an important role in the stimulation of innate immunity as well as in the induction of adaptive immunity, potentially against autoantigens. In this review, we explore the role of apoptosis in ALI and COPD, with particular attention to the contribution of DAMP release in augmenting the inflammatory response in these disease states.
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