Figure 1. Pathogenesis of sepsis-induced ARDS.

Sepsis-induced ARDS arises from a lung infection (direct lung injury) or from an extrapulmonary source (indirect lung injury). The host response to the pathogen results in recruitment of inflammatory cells, release of proinflammatory cytokines, and other pathways of injury (see text) that damage the alveolar-capillary barrier. Loss of integrity of this barrier leads to influx of pulmonary edema fluid and lung injury. AM: alveolar macrophage, DAMPs: damage-associated molecular patterns, EC: endothelial cell, EpC: epithelial cell, NET: neutrophil extracellular trap, PAMPs: pathogen-associated molecular patterns, PRR: pattern recognition receptor.