Pulmonary gas exchange relies on a rich capillary network, which, together with alveolar
epithelial type I and II cells, form alveolar septa, the functional units in the lung. Alveolar
capillary endothelial cells are critical in maintaining alveolar structure, because disruption of
endothelial cell integrity underlies several lung diseases. Here we show that targeted
ablation of lung capillary endothelial cells recapitulates the cellular events involved in
cigarette smoke-induced emphysema, one of the most prevalent nonneoplastic lung …