Of interest, SFTPA1, compared to SFTPA2, has been shown to be more efficient in surfactant lipid reorganization and in preventing surfactant inhibition by serum proteins, indicating that the importance of this gene in IPF may in part be due to its dual role in host defense and surfactant-related activities. The gene discussed is SFTPA1; the disease is idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.