[Pulmonary surfactant system].

The lung surfactant system (LSS) has a complex morphological and biochemical structure. LSS contains two components: cellular and non-cellular. The cellular component comprises three types of alveolar epithelium cells (type I, II, and II pneumocytes), alveolar macrophages (AM) and Clara bronchiolar cells.

[Pulmonary repair after adult respiratory distress syndrome].

The adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) represents a particulary dangerous form of acute respiratory failure. The processes of reparation of the lungs start in the course of several hours following the acute pulmonary damage and ARDS. They imply: 1) lysis of intraalveolar fibrin, phagocytosis of the necrotic products and resorption of the edematous fluid from the alveolar lumen and the pulmonary interstitium.

[The role of bacterial endotoxins, receptors and cytokines in the pathogenesis of septic (endotoxin) shock].

Sepsis, resistant to therapy, results in the development of septic (endotoxin) shock. The latter is caused by the endotoxins of different Gram-negative bacteria. Endotoxin (bacterial lipopdisacharide--LPS) interacts with cells through specific membrane or plasma soluble endotoxin receptors (sCD14, mlD14, LBP, CD13/CD14, CD16, CD116/CD18, L-selectin, etc.

[Contemporary views on the etiology and pathogenesis of atherosclerosis].

Atherosclerosis is caused by a large range of exogenous and endogenous risk factors and does not result simply from the hypercholesterolemia and the accumulation of lipids. Atherogenesis is a dynamic multifactor and multi-stage inflammatory process, where different cells, cytokines and growth factors interacte as results of endothelial cell damage. This process is characterized by a focal subintimal deposition of lipids and lipoproteins in "foam cells" with a further development of chronic focal inflammation and expanditure of fibrosis, stenosis of the arterial lumen and development of further organ complications.

[The role of cell adhesion molecules and proinflammatory mediators in the pathogenesis of endotoxin adult respiratory distress syndrome].

The Gram-negative bacterial sepsis that is resistant to therapy results in the development of septic shock and the multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS). It is established that the adult respiratory distress syndrom (ARDS) as a component of MODS is the reason for high mortality in these patients. The basic pathogenetic link between ARDS and the septic shock are the lesions of the alveolo-capillary membrane.