Abstract
Collagen is the most abundant airway extracellular matrix component and is the primary determinant of mechanical airway properties. Abnormal airway collagen deposition is associated with the pathogenesis and progression of airway disease. Thus, understanding how collagen affects healthy airway tissue mechanics is essential. The impact of abnormal collagen deposition and tissue stiffness has been an area of interest in pulmonary diseases such as cystic fibrosis, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. In this review, we discuss (1) the role of collagen in airway mechanics, (2) macro- and micro-scale approaches to quantify airway mechanics, and (3) pathologic changes associated with collagen deposition in airway diseases. These studies provide important insights into the role of collagen in airway mechanics. We summarize their achievements and seek to provide biomechanical clues for targeted therapies and regenerative medicine to treat airway pathology and address airway defects.
Highlights
The airway consists of both a conducting region where air is humidified, warmed, and cleaned and a respiratory zone where gas exchange occurs
We review the role of pathologic collagen deposition and alteration in airway diseases and its resultant effect on airway mechanics
The threshold of collagen to maintain mechanical stability is reduced, demonstrated by broken collagen fibers under similar stretch [97]. These findings suggest abnormal collagen remodeling has a significant role in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) lung mechanics
Summary
The airway consists of both a conducting region (larynx, trachea, bronchi, bronchioles) where air is humidified, warmed, and cleaned and a respiratory zone where gas exchange occurs. Diverse collagen subtypes are represented throughout the airway: Type IV collagen is the chief component of the basement membrane [7], type II collagen predominates in airway cartilage, and type I and III collagen are found in the alveolar wall and alveolar septa [8]. Due to their abundance in the alveoli, type I and III collagen are the primary contributors to lung mechanics [2,7,9]. As collagen of airway ECM is becoming a primary biological source for airway tissue engineering, understanding its impact on airway mechanics will facilitate the development of biomaterials that can recapitulate the native airway
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