Premium
Inflammatory Response and Apoptosis in Newborn Lungs after Meconium Aspiration
Author(s) -
Vidyasagar D.,
Lukkarinen H.,
Kaapa P.,
Zagariya A.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
biotechnology progress
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.572
H-Index - 129
eISSN - 1520-6033
pISSN - 8756-7938
DOI - 10.1021/bp0497886
Subject(s) - apoptosis , meconium , inflammation , programmed cell death , apoptotic cell death , immunology , cell , meconium aspiration syndrome , lung , medicine , pathology , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , andrology , pregnancy , fetus , genetics
An important feature of meconium‐instilled newborn lungs is an inflammatory response and apoptotic cell death. It was recently demonstrated by our group and supported by several other investigators in a relatively short period of time. Apoptosis exists also in healthy lungs, but in meconium‐instilled lungs its level is usually dramatically higher. Apoptosis is characterized by loss of cell function, decrease in cell size, and its morphology. Apoptosis plays an important role in normal cell life, but increased levels of apoptosis induce great damage for any tissues. Apoptosis in the lungs has been greatly overlooked for the past decade, and meconium‐induced apoptosis is a relatively new event and not effectively studied at the present time. This Review summarized current knowledge regarding meconium‐induced inflammation and apoptosis in newborn lungs.