Affiliations: Division of Clinical and Experimental Pathology,
Forschungszentrum Borstel, Borstel, Germany
Note: [] Adress for correspondence: Ekkehard Vollmer Division for
Clinical and Experimental Pathology Forschungszentrum Borstel, Parkallee 3,
D-23845 Borstel, Germany. Phone: (49)-4537-188219, Fax: (49)-4537-188229
Abstract: Surfactant Apoprotein-A (SP-A) is the central of four proteins known
to participate in the pulmonary surfactant-system. It is expressed by
pneumocytes II as well as by a portion of non small cell lung carcinomas
(NSCLC). The expression of SP-A is complexly regulated on the transcriptional
and the chromosomal level. SP-A is a major player in the pulmonary
cytokine-network and moreover has been described to act in the pulmonary host
defense. By the use of cell culture or animal models the functional properties
have been repeatedly shown in many aspects often bearing surprising properties
which strongly indicate the physiological importance of SP-A. To date SP-A is
recognized as a molecule essential for pulmonary development, structure and
function. An upcoming number of reports deals with the role of SP-A for
pulmonary pathology. This article gives an overview about the state of
knowledge on SP-A focussed in applications for human pulmonary disorders and
points out the importance for pathology-orientated research approaches using
immunohistochemistry or in Situ hybridization as promising methods to further
elucidate the role of this molecule in adult lung diseases.