Pulmonary alveolar type II epithelial cells and adult respiratory distress syndrome.

During the past ten years, functions of alveolar type II cells have been well characterized with isolated cells in vitro. Some of the functions were well known from studies in vivo, but others such as transepithelial sodium transport were unsuspected. A better understanding of this important pulmonary cell type improves our knowledge of the pathophysiology of adult respiratory distress syndrome and may in time lead to new therapeutic strategies.