title: Surfactant and its role in the pathobiology of pulmonary infection.
abstract: Pulmonary surfactant is a complex surface-active substance comprised of key phospholipids and proteins that has many essential functions. Surfactant's unique composition is integrally related to its surface-active properties, its critical role in host defense, and emerging immunomodulatory activities ascribed to surfactant lipids. Together these effector functions provide for lung stability and protection from a barrage of potentially virulent infectious pathogens.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Acute Lung Injury Center of Excellence, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
authors.forename: Jennifer R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Glasser
authors.forename: Rama K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Mallampalli
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D011663:Pulmonary Surfactants / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D007155:Immunologic Factors; D011663:Pulmonary Surfactants