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Flow Cytometric Isolation of Primary Murine Type II Alveolar Epithelial Cells for Functional and Molecular Studies
Published on: December 26, 2012
Non-Pulmonary Immune Functions of Surfactant Proteins A and D
Sylvia Ujma1, William G C Horsnell, Arieh A Katz
1UCT Receptor Biology Research Unit, Division of Medical Biochemistry and Structural Biology, Department of Integrative Biomedical Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
Abstract:
Surfactant proteins A (SP-A) and D (SP-D) are established as essential components of our innate immune system for protecting the lung from pathogens and allergens. They essentially exert their protective functions by regulating pulmonary homeostasis. Both proteins are however widely expressed throughout the body, including the female reproductive tract, urinary tract, gastrointestinal tract, the eye, ear, nasal compartment, central nervous system, the coronary artery and the skin. The functions of SP-A and SP-D at these sites are a relatively underinvestigated area, but it is emerging that both SP-A and SP-D contribute significantly to the regulation of inflammation and protection from infection at these sites. This review presents our current understanding of the roles of SP-A and SP-D in non-pulmonary sites.
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