alleryStart learning →What is the role of the alveolar macrophage?
AIt secretes phospholipid surfactant
BIt forms the thin gas exchange wall
CIt links alveoli by open pores
DIt removes debris and pathogens
Answer & Solution
Correct answer: D. It removes debris and pathogens
1. The alveolar macrophage roams around the alveolar wall.
2. It is a phagocytic cell of the immune system.
3. Its role is to remove debris and pathogens that have reached the alveoli, so the fourth option is correct.
4. Forming the thin exchange wall is the job of type I cells, which is the second option's trap.
_Source: OpenStax Anatomy and Physiology (CC BY 4.0), Ch 22 "The Respiratory System", section 22.1 Organs and Structures of the Respiratory System_
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