Based on previous reports on alveolar shedding of syndecans in models of lung injury [21,22], Haeger et al. reported the presence of heparan sulphate at the alveolar surface and its shedding into alveolar spaces, together with syndecans 1 and 4, in mice subjected to lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury. This evidence concerns the gene SDC1 and acute lung injury.