上皮细胞间质转化在肺纤维化发生发展中的作用

Role of Epithelial-mesenchymal Transition in the Pathogenesis of Pulmonary Fibrosis

肺纤维化的机制至今仍然不清,一度认为是慢性炎症所致,现在已经明白炎症和慢性纤维化常常是可以分离的。炎症对于诱导纤维化而言不是必需的,也不是充分的。近年来发现肺纤维化初级效应细胞,肌纤维母细胞可能来源于肺泡上皮细胞发生的一个叫做上皮细胞-间质转化的过程,这一观点颇受重视,被认为是肺纤维化发生发展的新模式。

The mechanisms underlying pulmonary fibrosis remain elusive. It used to be believed that pulmonary fibrosis resulted primarily from chronic inflammation. In contrast, it is now clear that inflammation and chronic fibrosis are frequently dissociated and inflammation is neither necessary nor sufficient to induce fibrosis. Recent findings show that the primary effector cell of pulmonary fibrosis, myofibroblast, may come from a process termed ＂ epithelial-mesenchymal transition＂ ,which has been extensively studied and regarded as a new pathway in the pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis.