Current status and prospects of basic research and clinical application of mesenchymal stem cells in acute respiratory distress syndrome

Figure 1 Following acute lung injury, pulmonary vascular macrophages produce chemokines to increase vascular permeability, resulting in neutrophil aggregation. Neutrophils reach the pulmonary interstitium and alveolar space and release proteases, cytokines, and other harmful substances to destroy the alveolar microstructure, leading to cell dysfunction and eventually causing exudates and lung fluid to enter the alveolar space, resulting in the development of pulmonary fibrosis. Additionally, the disorder of pulmonary vascular coagulation and fibrinolysis caused by inflammation leads to pulmonary vascular microthrombosis, which is also one of the causes of pulmonary edema.