Role of the pulmonary surfactant protein SP-C in alveolar homeostasis
Pulmonary surfactant, a lipoprotein complex that covers the alveoli, prevents lung collapse by reducing surface tension at the air-liquid interface. It is composed of lipids (90% by mass), including dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC, 40%), unsaturated phospholipids (35%) and neutral lipids such a...
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| Tipo de recurso: | tesis doctoral |
| Fecha de publicación: | 2026 |
| País: | España |
| Institución: | Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM) |
| Repositorio: | Docta Complutense |
| Idioma: | inglés |
| OAI Identifier: | oai:docta.ucm.es:20.500.14352/132038 |
| Acceso en línea: | https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/132038 |
| Access Level: | acceso abierto |
| Palabra clave: | 661.185(043.2) Alveolar homeostasis Pulmonary surfactant Protein SP-C Homeostasis alveolar Surfactante pulmonar Proteína SP-C Fisiología 2411.17 Fisiología de la Respiración |
| Sumario: | Pulmonary surfactant, a lipoprotein complex that covers the alveoli, prevents lung collapse by reducing surface tension at the air-liquid interface. It is composed of lipids (90% by mass), including dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC, 40%), unsaturated phospholipids (35%) and neutral lipids such as cholesterol (8-10%). Additionally, it contains specific proteins (8-10%) essential for its function. Pulmonary surfactant proteins A and D (SP-A and SP-D) are hydrophilic proteins belonging to the collectin family and are involved in the innate defense of the lung, while pulmonary surfactant proteins B and C (SP-B and SP-C) are very small, highly cationic, and extraordinarily hydrophobic proteins responsible for the biophysical function of surfactant, as they participate in the rearrangement of surfactant membranes required during breathing cycles. Pulmonary surfactant acts as a barrier against microorganisms and harmful particles inhaled into the lungs, through a cross-talk with alveolar macrophages (AMϕ). In the alveolar spaces, surfactant is challenged by an oxidative environment that can affect its function. Therefore, in healthy lungs, a balance is maintained between its secretion by type II alveolar epithelial cells (AECII) and its recycling and clearance. Alveolar homeostasis depends on the interaction between AECII, AMϕ, and surfactant, ensuring pulmonary protection and performance... |
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