Animal models of pulmonary emphysema.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The mechanisms by which cigarette smoke leads to the irreversible dilatation and destruction of terminal airspaces of the lung are being unravelled largely as a result of the explosion of studies in animals. At the forefront of this has been the use of genetically manipulated mice, and the evolution and understanding of different models of emphysema. This review will summarise the current models of emphysema.