Pulmonary endocrine cells in chronic bronchitis and emphysema.

A rôle for pulmonary endocrine cells has been suggested in the response of the lungs to hypoxia, the control of the pulmonary vasculature and inflammatory pulmonary disease. Since hypoxia, inflammation and vascular remodelling are all central to the pathology of chronic bronchitis and emphysema, we have studied these cells in the lungs of subjects with this condition. In comparison with lungs of matched controls, there was a modest uniform increase in endocrine cells containing gastrin-releasing peptide, possibly associated with vascular remodelling, and a marked increase in cells containing calcitonin, which was particularly seen in consolidated lobes and possibly related to inflammation.