The production of pulmonary surfactant, a complex of lipids and proteins that reduces
surface tension at the alveolar air-liquid interface, is developmentally regulated. Several
hormones, most notably glucocorticoids, are known to accelerate maturation of the
surfactant system. Cytokines are polypeptides that act mostly in a paracrine fashion and
posses a wide spectrum of activities on multiple types of cells. Many cytokines are produced
by different lung cells at various stages of fetal development or under pathological …