Fig. 4From: Acute lung injury: how to stabilize a broken lungThe complex interconnected structure of an alveolar sac [73]. Alveoli are not individual structures similar to a bunch of grapes but share walls with adjacent alveoli. The entire structure is bound together with a complex axial, septal, and peripheral connective tissue system. As long as all alveoli are homogenously inflated this complex structure has a great deal of stability through interdependence [26]Back to article page