A squamous pulmonary alveolar epithelial cell that is flattened and branched. A pulmonary alveolar type 1 cell covers more than 98% of the alveolar surface. This large cell has thin (50-100 nm) cytoplasmic extensions to form the air-blood barrier essential for normal gas exchange. [ GOC:tfm http://www.copewithcytokines.de http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20054144 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29463737 ]
Synonyms: pulmonary alveolar type I cell small alveolar cells squamous alveolar cell type I alveolar epithelial cells membranous pneumocytes type I alveolar cells type 1 alveolar epithelial cells type I pneumocyte type 1 pneumocyte squamous alveolar lining cell lung type 1 cells
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- pulmonary alveolar epithelial cell and capable of some respiratory gaseous exchange by respiratory system