Do lung epithelia in COPD undergo transition to behave more like Essay

Do lung epithelia in COPD undergo transition to behave more like finroblast - Essay Example This process of repair, if successful, is beneficial to the body because it enables the affected tissue restore its functions (Pauwels et al., 2012). However, the repair process can be defective leading to collagen overproduction, formation of excess fibroblasts and fibrosis. This defective repair of epithelia tissue has not been well explored. A more detailed evaluation is important to give proper insight on whether pathological repair of the lung tissue because of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease can lead to conversion of an epithelial cell into a fibroblast. To begin with is an elaboration of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary disease (Barnes and Kleinert, 2004). It is characterised by ineffective flow of air in and out of the lungs. Less air flows in and out of the lungs because air sacs and airways have lost elasticity, air sac walls are destroyed and airway walls are inflamed and thickened. Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease is a disease that keeps progressing (getting worse) since onset and makes it difficult for a person to breathe. COPD is found to start and develop slowly and increasingly limit an individual’s ability to perform tasks (Control et al., 2012; Romain A. Pauwels and Rabe, 2004). In some countries like United States of America, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease is a common term for two conditions namely emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Air sacs walls are damaged in emphysema thereby lose their shape and appear floppy. Further damage leads to damage of air sac walls leading to larger but fewer air sacs instead of several tiny ones. Hence, the respiratory function of the lung is greatly affected and subsequently gaseous exchange is reduced too. In most instances, emphysema is accompanied by chronic bronchitis hence use of a Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease as a term to describe the two condition (Han et al., 2010). COPD symptoms rarely occur at early stages