Lung Surfactant Anatomy

Pulmonary surfactant, or lung surfactant, is a mixture of lipids and proteins that are secreted by Type II alveolar cells of your lung. They secrete surfactant onto the air-liquid interface of your lungs to reduce surface tension, making it easier for us to expand and compress our lungs.

A scientific schematic of lung surfactant was created for a doctoral dissertation. This schematic included an anatomical view of the branches of the respiratory system (trachea to alveoli), and then a close-up cross-section of an alveolus showing lung surfactant.