The mitochondrial calcium uniporter of pulmonary type 2 cells determines severity of acute lung injury

Acute lung injury caused by inhalation of pathogens leads to mortality, but the mechanisms are unclear. Here, the authors show in mice that that loss of the mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU) of alveolar type 2 cells (AT2) impaired mitochondrial Ca2+ buffering and surfactant secretion, and increased mortality, in response to LPS instillation, suggesting the MCU as a potential therapeutic target in ALI.