Osteopontin Expression in Small Airway Epithelium in Copd is Dependent on Differentiation and Confined to Subsets of Cells
Osteopontin (OPN) plays a role in inflammation via recruitment of neutrophils and tissue remodeling. In this study, we investigated the distribution of OPN-expressing cells in the airway epithelium of normal lung tissue and that from patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). OPN was detected on the epithelial cell surface of small airways and in scattered cells within the epithel