Fig. 1: Graphical schematic of the cellular heterogeneity present in the lung microenvironment, showing the tumor surrounding the alveolar space containing type II pneumocytes.
From: The tumor microenvironment of metastatic osteosarcoma in the human and canine lung
Osteosarcoma tumors secrete tumor-derived exosomes containing components and other factors that influence the normal activity of resident lung cells. The presence of vasculature within the tumor facilitates the dissemination of these factors and may play a role in disease progression. In response, type II pneumocytes secrete surfactant protein B (SP-B) which, in conjunction with tumor-derived exosomes, influences the development of fibrosis. Created in BioRender. Mcgee, L. (2025) https://BioRender.com/i23k019.
