High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Acute inhalation injury may result from frequent and widespread use of household cleaning agents and industrial gases (including chlorine and ammonia) or from bioterrorism-related events. Depending on the type and amount of irritant gas inhaled, victims can experience symptoms ranging from minor respiratory discomfort to acute airway and lung injury and even death. A common response cascade to a variety of irritant gases includes inflammation, edema and epithelial sloughing which, left untreated, can result in scar formation and pulmonary and airway remodeling. Currently, mechanical ventilation remains the therapeutic mainstay for pulmonary dysfunction following acute inhalation injury. There is therefore an urgent need to develop airway and pulmonary protective and reparative strategies for mitigation of this injury. A number of in vitro and in vivo models are available for preclinical testing and development of novel therapeutics. A clinically feasible therapeutic would be one that is effective when administered several hours after inhalation and which can be administered by first responders in a mass casualty setting. Development of such therapeutics will attenuate the morbidity and mortality associated with acute inhalation injury.