Alternatively, animal models of asthma allow for greater flexibility in obtaining research material. At our department, several animal models for asthma have been and are being developed. We study the contribution of inflammatory and immune cells and their respective mediators in these models. Animal Models of Asthma Allergic asthma is characterized by direct airway narrowing after contact with allergens. We study these phenomena in mouse and guinea pig models of allergic asthma, in which the animals are sensitized and challenged with ovalbumin.
Many asthmatics suffer from viral infections in the respiratory airways.
We observed that application of a parainfluenza virus to guinea pigs produces effects in the lungs that are reminiscent of complaints expressed by many human asthmatics. These research topics are outlined below. T lymphocytes play a fundamental role in the initiation and regulation of inflammatory responses. Several lines of evidence support the view that T cells are involved in the pathogenesis of asthma. We investigate the role that different subsets of T helper lymphocytes play in asthma.