Frick

Project Summary

The alveoli are central functional units of the lungs, whose homeostasis is maintained by the interaction of alveolar epithelial cells (AECs) with mesenchymal and immune cells. Particularly important is the interaction between AECs and alveolar macrophages (AMs), which occurs via surface proteins and gap junctions and regulates inflammatory responses via intercellular Ca²⁺ signals. Inflammation can also occur without infection, for example during mechanical ventilation, which leads to ventilation-induced lung injury (VILI). It is suspected that overstretching of the alveolar epithelium activates AMs, but the exact mechanisms are unclear. The project therefore investigates whether mechanical stretching of the epithelium leads to the activation of AMs via heterotypic cell-cell interactions and Ca²⁺ signals. Our goal is to identify the underlying signalling pathways and gain new insights into the development of severe pneumonia and ALI/ARDS in hyperinflation.