Anatomic organization and function of the human pleura

The cell biology and physiology of the pleura remain poorly understood. The development of techniques for assessing specific protein gent expression and characterizing cellular phenotypes in vivo presents new opportunities for studying the microanatomy and physiology of the pleura. Unanswered questions include the following: What are the lineage relationships between subserosal stromal cells and surface mesothelial cells in development and during the response to injury? What are the mechanisms that regulate the proliferation and activation of mesothelial cells and pleural connective tissue cells? What are the cellular sources of specific matrix components within the various compartments of the pleura? What is the functional role of the hyaluronan elaborated by mesothelial cells? To what extent do mesothelial-derived surfactants contribute to pleural physiology? What are the roles of specific migratory cell types within the pleura? How is fluid transport across the mesothelium regulated? Hopefully, it will be possible to answer or address many of these important questions in subsequent editions of this series.