Apoptosis and disturbed cellular composition in experimental emphysema

Transforming Growth Factor β (TGF-β) has a fundemental role in lung tissue maintenance. Mice deficient in the signalling molecule Smad3 develop centrilobular emphysema postnatally following abnormal alveolarization. The current study characterizes cellular mechanisms that are involved in alveolar destruction in these mice. Smad3 KO and WT mice were examined at different time points (8 wks, 12 wks and 20 wks). Lungs were fixed with formalin for histology or frozen for laser-capture microdissection and realtime-PCR. In addition to significant airspace enlargement as demonstrated by increased mean linear intercept…