Isocyanates and lung disease: experimental approaches to molecular mechanisms.

Isocyanates are reactive compounds that have commercial applications in the synthesis of a variety of products, including paints, coatings, elastomers, and foams. The correlation between isocyanates and a spectrum of respiratory disease has been established, primarily at the clinical level. The focus of this article is to bridge the gap of understanding from clinical symptoms to molecular reactivity, with emphasis on experimental approaches that serve to complement clinical and epidemiologic data.