title: Structural and functional aspects of the collectin SP-A.
abstract: Surfactant protein A (SP-A), member of the collectin family, is implicated in innate host defense of the lung. SP-A is a "pattern recognition molecule" and interacts with glycoconjugates on the surface of micro-organisms. It protects the lung by interacting with a wide variety of potential pathogens, including viruses, bacteria and fungi. This may result in enhanced killing and clearance by phagocytes. SP-A is a link between the innate and adaptive immune system because it directly affects lymphocyte proliferation and function. Although most extensively studied in the lung, SP-A is found in a number of other sites in the body. The presence of SP-A at these mucosal surfaces, which are in close contact with numerous potentially harmful micro-organisms, supports a more general role for this collectin in mucosal defense.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Food Safety, Graduate School Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, The Netherlands. h.p.haagsman@vvdo.vet.uu.nl
authors.forename: Henk P
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Haagsman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001419:Bacteria / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000502:physiology; D008168:Lung / Q000276:immunology*; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000276:immunology; D037662:Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Protein A / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D014780:Viruses / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D037662:Pulmonary Surfactant-Associated Protein A