The immunoregulatory functions of IL-4 and IL-5 have identified these cytokines as primary targets for the resolution of airways inflammation and bronchial hyperreactivity in asthma. However, the individual contribution of each of these cytokines and of IL-5-regulated eosinophilia to the induction of airways hyperreactivity in mouse models of asthma remains highly controversial. In this investi...

Recently attention has been drawn to the role of small airways in asthma. However, little information exists about the responsiveness of small airways to various bronchoconstrictors in comparison to large airways. In this study, the model of precision-cut lung slices (PCLSs) was used to investigate the effects of the thromboxane receptor agonist U46619 and endothelin (ET)-1 on small (diameter <...

In this investigation we have used a mouse model containing certain phenotypic characteristics consistent with asthma and IL-4- and CD40-deficient mice to establish the role of this cytokine and allergen-specific immunoglobulins in the initiation of airways hyperreactivity and morphological changes to the airways in responses to aeroallergen challenge. Sensitization and aerosol challenge of mic...

70S CHEST, VOL. 63, NO. 4, APRIL 1973 SUPPLEMENT Reference to Lesions Found in Asymptomatic Chronic Bronchitis without Emphysema w. M. Thurlbeck, M.D.#{176} W e have measured and counted conducting aimways less than 2 mm in internal diameter ( “small airways” ) in the lungs of patients with and without chronic bronchitis, and with and without emphysema. Eighteen patients without chronic bronchi...

The autonomic nervous system provides both cholinergic and noncholinergic neural inputs to end organs within the airways, which includes the airway and vascular smooth muscle. Heightened responsiveness of the airways to bronchoconstrictive agents is a hallmark feature of reactive airways diseases. The mechanisms underpinning airways hyperreactivity still largely remain unresolved. In this paper...

Effective clearance of inhaled particles requires mucus production and continuous mucus transport from the lower airways to the oropharynx. Mucus production takes place mainly in the peripheral airways. Mucus transport is achieved by the action of the ciliated cells that cover the inner surface of the airways (mucociliary transport) and by expiratory airflow. The capacity for mucociliary transp...

We present an automated approach for the segmentation of airways in CT datasets. The approach utilizes the Gradient Vector Flow and consists of two main processing steps. Initially, airway-like structures are identified and their centerlines are extracted. These centerlines are used in a second step to initialize the actual segmentation of the corresponding airways. An evaluation on 20 clinical...