ABSTRACT
Introduction 27 Mesothelial cell morphology and function 28 Role of mesothelial cells in immune regulation of
the pleura 28 Infection and inflammation 28 Leukocyte migration 29 Chemokines 30 Antigen presentation 30
Immunomodulatory cytokines 30 Pleural effusions 30 Cytokine functions 31
Conclusions 35 Acknowledgments 35 References35
Mesothelial cells are specialized cells that cover the pleural surface as well as other serosal surfaces of most internal organs. Mesothelial cells can have dierent phenotypes which are likely to reect dierences in the functions of
parietal and visceral pleura, as well as their activational state, particularly following injury. Mesothelial cells synthesize and secrete glycosaminoglycans and surfactant1 to provide lubrication between parietal and visceral pleura and play critical roles in the maintenance of pleural homeostasis in response to stimuli: mechanical injury, inammation, and immunoregulation. e main pleural pathologies
are infections (tuberculosis [TB], other bacterial, and viral infections), brosis (adhesions, loculations, and pleural plaques), and cancers (e.g., mesothelioma). is chapter summarizes our present knowledge on the biology of mesothelial cells, focusing on immune regulation in the pleura and highlighting key cytokines that drive inammatory and immune responses.
