title: The cell biology of asthma.
abstract: The clinical manifestations of asthma are caused by obstruction of the conducting airways of the lung. Two airway cell types are critical for asthma pathogenesis: epithelial cells and smooth muscle cells. Airway epithelial cells, which are the first line of defense against inhaled pathogens and particles, initiate airway inflammation and produce mucus, an important contributor to airway obstruction. The other main cause of airway obstruction is contraction of airway smooth muscle. Complementary experimental approaches involving cultured cells, animal models, and human clinical studies have provided many insights into diverse mechanisms that contribute to airway epithelial and smooth muscle cell pathology in this complex disease.
authors.affiliation: Lung Biology Center and Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143.
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Erle
authors.affiliation: Lung Biology Center and Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143 dean.sheppard@ucsf.edu.
authors.forename: Dean
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sheppard
mesh_terms: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002450:Cell Communication; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002923:Cilia / Q000378:metabolism; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000473:pathology; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D018793:Interleukin-13 / Q000378:metabolism; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects; D032389:Myocytes, Smooth Muscle / Q000166:cytology / Q000473:pathology; D009218:Myosins / Q000378:metabolism; D051880:Receptors, Notch / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D018793:Interleukin-13; D051880:Receptors, Notch; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D009218:Myosins