AGER and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: Recent research supporting the concept of increased receptor availability considers the role of RAGE and its ligands in the effects of exposure to PM derived by fossil fuel combustion and the possible exacerbation of debilitating pulmonary disorders such as asthma and COPD (Campo et al. 2008; Ferhani et al. 2010; Halayko and Ghavami 2009).