Pulmonary surfactant in innate immunity and the pathogenesis of tuberculosis

Components of the innate immune system serve to protect the host from invad ing pathogens prior to the generation of a directed immune response, and in fluence the manner in which the directed immune response develops. The pulm onary surfactant system consists of a complex array of proteins and lipids that reduce surface tension of the alveoli, and appears to play an essentia l role in innate immunity. Investigators have recently gained insight into the interactions between components of the surfactant system and the respir atory pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It is likely that pulmonary surf actant and other innate immune determinants play significant roles in the p athogenesis of tuberculosis. (C) 2000 Harcourt Publishers Ltd.