Response of alveolar type II pneumocytes to mechanical stimulation [Elektronische Ressource] / Giorgio Fois

Universität Ulm Institut für Allgemeine Physiologie Leitung Prof. Paul Dietl Response of alveolar type II pneumocytes to mechanical stimulation Dissertation zur Erlangung des Doktorgrades der Humanbiologie der Medizinischen Fakultät der Universität Ulm Giorgio Fois Seriate, Italien 2011 Amtierender Dekan: Prof. Dr. Thomas Wirth 1. Berichterstatter: Prof. Dr. Paul Dietl 2. Beritter: PD Dr. Petra Pandur Tag der Promotion: 16-12-2011 To my parents and Sibilla Table of contents ________________________________________________________________________________ Table of Contents Table of Contents ................................................................................................................................ i Abbreviations ..... iii 1 Introduction ............................... 1 1.1 Effects of mechanical stimulation on the lung ................................................................... 6 1.2 General mechanisms of mechanotransduction at a cellular level ... 11 1.3 The transient receptor potential channel family ............................. 17 1.4 Aims of the study ............................................................................................................. 24 2 Material and Methods ............. 25 2.1 Technical description of the devices ................ 25 2.2 Isolation of ATII cells and cultivation on silastic membranes .......................................... 33 2.