Which of the following describes the relationship between the pulmonary capillary endothelium and the alveolar epithelium?
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Correct answer: Their basal laminae fuse into a single thin layer
In the thinnest portions of the blood-air barrier, the basal lamina of the capillary endothelium and the basal lamina of the Type I pneumocytes fuse. This fusion minimizes the distance gases must travel, optimizing diffusion efficiency.
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