title: Fate of inhaled particles after interaction with the lung surface.
abstract: Inhaled particles may cause increased pulmonary and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The wall structures of airways and alveoli act as a series of structural and functional barriers against inhaled particles. Deposited particles are displaced and come into close association with epithelial cells, macrophages and dendritic cells. The cellular interplay after particle deposition in a triple cell co-culture model of the human airway wall was investigated by laser scanning microscopy. Furthermore, the cellular response was determined by measurement of TNF-alpha. Dendritic cells gained access to the apical side of the epithelium where they sampled particles and interacted with macrophages.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Anatomy, Division of Histology, University of Bern, Baltzerstrasse 2, CH-3000, Bern 9, Switzerland. gehr@ana.unibe.ch
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gehr
authors.forename: Fabian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Blank
authors.forename: Barbara M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Rothen-Rutishauser
mesh_terms: D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006046:Gold / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008168:Lung / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000009:adverse effects*; D020545:Respiratory Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure*
chemical_list: D006046:Gold