The aging lung: Physiology, disease, and immunity
Jaime L Schneider1, Jared H Rowe2, Carolina Garcia-de-Alba3
1Department of Cell Biology, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
Abstract:
The population is aging at a rate never seen before in human history. As the number of elderly adults grows, it is imperative we expand our understanding of the underpinnings of aging biology. Human lungs are composed of a unique panoply of cell types that face ongoing chemical, mechanical, biological, immunological, and xenobiotic stress over a lifetime. Yet, we do not fully appreciate the mechanistic drivers of lung aging and why age increases the risk of parenchymal lung disease, fatal respiratory infection, and primary lung cancer. Here, we review the molecular and cellular aspects of lung aging, local stress response pathways, and how the aging process predisposes to the pathogenesis of pulmonary disease. We place these insights into context of the COVID-19 pandemic and discuss how innate and adaptive immunity within the lung is altered with age.
Related Concept Videos
01:20Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease-II: Pathophysiology
Chronic Inflammation
01:19The Effect of Aging on Tissues
01:25Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease-III: Symptoms and Complications.
Symptoms of COPD can be classified as primary or systemic. Primary symptoms relate to reduced airflow, while systemic or extrapulmonary symptoms relate to COPD's broader impact on the body.
Primary Symptoms of COPD:
01:29Pneumonia II: Pathophysiology
01:20COPD: Pathogenesis and Clinical Features
The primary cause for the onset of COPD is cigarette smoking and exposure to air pollution. These hazardous factors initiate a chain reaction within the lungs, resulting in chronic inflammation, damage to the airways, and a...
01:22Pharmacokinetics in Geriatric Patients: Effect of Age on Drug Absorption