The contribution of experimental models to our understanding of the pathogenesis and treatment of bronchopulmonary dysplasia

In the 12 years since a National Institute of Health workshop on bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) recommended that emphasis be placed on the development of animal models to further understand disease, there has been considerable progress in this area. Data from nonhuman primate homologs of BPD and animal models of specific lung injuries have served to expand and refine our understanding of pathogenesis. Recent studies examining the changes in gene expression associated with premature delivery and survival suggest that there are isolated aberrations that may account for some of the increased susceptibility of the immature lung to injury.