CLU and pulmonary fibrosis: Given that IPF is characterized by pronounced epithelial cell apoptosis, loss of alveolar type I & II epithelial cells, bronchiolization of the alveoli and impaired repair19, we explored the expression and function of Clusterin in both experimental bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis (in which Clusterin expression was altered in a time-dependent manner) and primary normal and IPF cells.