CD40LG and silicosis: Within the silicotic group, the ex vivo model also successfully recapitulated the inflammatory stage of silicosis development in terms of Ig levels with elevated IgM rather than total IgG levels observed by day 7 and with cytokines’ secretion, wherein a predominant Th1 pro-inflammatory signature despite the counterbalance of Th1 cytokines’ release was observed after silica exposure.