Figure 2.

Model of recurrent injury/repair at the bronchoalveolar junction that is initiated and exacerbated by overexpression of MUC5B, retention of inhaled particles, and enhanced lung injury. The upper panel is the normal bronchoalveolar region and the lower panel represents a bronchoalveolar region affected by idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). We hypothesize that IPF is a mucociliary disease that is caused by recurrent injury/repair at the bronchoalveolar junction that is initiated and exacerbated by overexpression of MUC5B leading to reduced ciliary function, retention of particles, and enhanced injury. Reprinted by permission from Reference 54.