Pulmonary system responses to biomaterials

Abstract The lung is one of the most important organs in the respiratory system and is primarily responsible for the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide gases between the cells. As a result, lung disease is widely recognized as one of the world's primary causes of morbidity and mortality. Lung carcinoma has been confirmed to be responsible for nearly 28% of all cancer-related deaths in the United States. The big surface area of the lungs and the minimal barriers impeding access to the lung periphery make drug delivery through this organ a suitable gateway for a variety of therapeutic interventions. This chapter exclusively focuses on interaction of carriers and drugs with lung, native or simulated tissue. Another strategy that is crucial for the future of pulmonary diseases is biomimicked 3D structures. This chapter tries to emphasize on one hand, the crisis of lung diseases and inadequate donors in the future and on the other hand, the vital role of lung treatment and reconstruction. Nanotechnology and biomimicked-structures are the most important players for targeted-drug delivery and tissue regeneration of the pulmonary system. Therefore, a better understanding of how biomaterials deal with this tissue is of crucial importance.