Lung surfactant is a mixture of lipids and proteins that coats the alveoli, and its main mechanical function is to reduce the work of breathing by reducing the surface tension. Insufficient amount of lung surfactant in premature infants leads to neonatal respiratory distress syndrome, while lung trauma...

The cell membrane acts as a barrier, controlling the transport of molecules into and out of the cell. When the structural integrity of the membrane is compromised, so does its barrier function. In this talk, we examine how the membrane barrier function can be compromised by antimicrobial peptides, and...