In the distal regions of the human lung, one of the most
challenging problems facing a large multicellular organism is
solved-ensuring an adequate supply of oxygen for aerobic tissue
metabolism while removing associated waste products. Conduits for
both air and blood converge at the alveolar level to match
ventilation with perfusion and thus assure the free diffusion of
oxygen and carbon dioxide. Despite their thin walls and their
intimate relationship to the pulmonary capillary bed, the alveolus
must present a barrier function robust enough to resist alveolar
flooding from the hydrostatic pressures generated by the weight of
the lungs and the volume of blood in the pulmonary circuit. The
strategic position of the alveolar region and its vast associated
capillary network ensure its importance in the synthesis and
degradation of a wide range of molecules. Finally, the alveoli have
evolved important immune functions vital to protecting the host
from a variety of inhaled pollutants and microorganisms.
Understanding alveolar structure and function is essential not only
to appreciate the elegance of the human lung in its pristine state
but also to understand the perturbations that underlay many lung
diseases.
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