Skip to main content Accessibility help
×
Hostname: page-component-77f85d65b8-45ctf Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2026-04-21T15:03:18.677Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Chapter 5 - Environmental Effects on Lung Morphogenesis and Function:

Tobacco Products, Combustion Products, and Other Sources of Pollution

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 April 2016

Alan H. Jobe
Affiliation:
University of Cincinnati
Jeffrey A. Whitsett
Affiliation:
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital
Steven H. Abman
Affiliation:
University of Colorado School of Medicine
Get access

Summary

Abstract

The fetal and neonatal lung are very sensitive to environmental conditions, which can alter lung development, leading to reduced lung function and increased risk of respiratory illness later in life. This is magnified in that the human lung primarily develops during prenatal life and infancy, after which it increases in size but not complexity. Therefore, early life events can lead to permanent structural changes that translate into lifelong alterations in pulmonary function with increased risk of respiratory disease and, potentially, earlier deterioration of lung function during the normal aging process. The effect of these exposures is dependent on individual susceptibilities, particularly genetic polymorphism and epigenetic changes, as well as the timing, duration, and level of exposures. In utero and early postnatal environmental factors that have been linked to changes in lung development include maternal use of tobacco products during pregnancy, secondhand tobacco smoke exposure, nicotine, and environmental pollution including air pollution and indoor wood-/cookstove exposures. This chapter will focus on how these exposures lead to altered lung morphology and the resulting clinical consequences with particular focus on the effects of in utero tobacco product exposure. Future environmental trends likely to influence lung development include e-cigarette usage and climate change.

Information

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Book purchase

Temporarily unavailable

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure no-reply@cambridge.org is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×