title: Chitinases and lung diseases.
abstract: Chitinase enzymes that hydrolize chitin and some articficial substrates are expressed in human despite lacking of the endogenous chitin within the body. Chitinases phatophysiological functions within human are not fully known. Recent evidence revealed that chitinases may have role into some processes of immune responses and inflammatory system. In this review, we discuss the role of chitinases in lung diseases based on the available information from the literature.
authors.affiliation: Clinic of Chest Diseases, Diskapi Yildirim Beyazit Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey. akcalis@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Serap
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Duru
authors.forename: Melike
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yüceege
authors.forename: Sadık
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ardıç
mesh_terms: D002686:Chitin / Q000378:metabolism; D002688:Chitinases / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D006868:Hydrolysis; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000201:enzymology*
chemical_list: D002686:Chitin; D002688:Chitinases