What have we learned from basic science studies on idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis?

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a fatal age-related lung disease characterised by progressive and irreversible scarring of the lung. Although the details are not fully understood, there has been tremendous progress in understanding the pathogenesis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, which has led to the identification of many new potential therapeutic targets. In this review we discuss several of these advances with a focus on genetic susceptibility and cellular senescence primarily affecting epithelial cells, activation of profibrotic pathways, disease-enhancing fibrogenic cell types and the role of the remodelled extracellular matrix.