Asthma is a disease characterized, in part, by airway hyperresponsiveness and
inflammation. Although asthma typically induces reversible airway obstruction, in some …

The airway smooth muscle (ASM) cell plays a central role in the pathogenesis of asthma and
constitutes an important target for treatment. These cells control muscle tone and thus …

Smooth muscle cell (SMC) migration is a critical developmental process that occurs during
the formation of hollow organs such as blood vessels and airways (1). However, cell …

Asthma is a disease characterized by marked structural changes within the airway wall.
These changes include deposition of extracellular matrix proteins and an increase in the …

Stress and strain are omnipresent in the lung due to constant lung volume fluctuation
associated with respiration, and they modulate the phenotype and function of all cells …

Abnormal mechanical stress on pulmonary structures is associated with increased airway
resistance and impaired gas exchange as a result of increased airway smooth muscle …

Airway smooth muscle (ASM) was first described in 1804 by Franz Daniel Reisseisen (as
related by Otis (1983))[1], and the “irritability” of ASM and its potential contribution to asthma …

The adhesion of cells to the extracellular matrix (ECM) protein, fibronectin, is important in the
regulation and coordination of such complex processes as cell growth, migration …

Increased extracellular matrix (ECM) deposition and airway smooth muscle (ASM) mass are
major contributors to airway remodeling in asthma. Recently, we demonstrated that the ECM …

The past two decades have seen extraordinary advances in our understanding of the role of
the pulmonary epithelium in airway health and disease. The traditional view of the …