Alveolar Epithelial Type 1 Cells (Alv)

Alveolar Epithelial Type 1 Cells (AEC-1) are thin, flat, highly elongated cells that line the alveolus and run adjacent to the endothelial cells of the capillaries in the underlying mesenchyme. Together, they form the gas exchange area. AECs are the predominant epithelial cell type in the alveolar compartment and can be identified based on T1α, caveolin 1 and aquaporin 5 expression.