Cited by 328Cystic Fibrosis Research AdvancesRespiratory and Cough-Related ResearchChronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Research

Airway Epithelial Differentiation and Mucociliary Clearance

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Whitsett, Jeffrey A.·2018·Annals of the American Thoracic Society

Abstract

The lung is continuously exposed to particles, toxicants, and microbial pathogens that are cleared by a complex mechanical, innate, and acquired immune system. Mucociliary clearance, mediated by the actions of diverse conducting airway and submucosal gland epithelial cells, plays a critical role in a multilayered defense system by secreting fluids, electrolytes, antimicrobial and antiinflammatory proteins, and mucus onto airway surfaces. The mucociliary escalator removes particles and pathogens by the mechanical actions of cilia and cough. Abnormalities in mucociliary clearance, whether related to impaired fluid secretion, ciliary dysfunction, lack of cough, or the disruption of epithelial cells lining the respiratory tract, contribute to the pathogenesis of common chronic pulmonary disorders. Although mucus and other airway epithelial secretions play a critical role in protecting the lung during acute injury, impaired mucus clearance after chronic mucus hyperproduction causes airway obstruction and infection, which contribute to morbidity in common pulmonary disorders, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, cystic fibrosis, bronchiectasis, and primary ciliary dyskinesia. In this summary, the molecular and cellular mechanisms mediating airway mucociliary clearance, as well as the role of goblet cell metaplasia and mucus hyperproduction, in the pathogenesis of chronic respiratory diseases are considered.

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  • Depressed clearance mechanisms, such as cough, oral and mucociliary clearance, and swallowing disorders, can increase susceptibility to pneumonia.

    “Also, depressed clearance mechanisms, such as cough, oral and mucociliary clearance, and swallowing disorders can also increase susceptibility (40, 63, 64, 140).”

    From Aging and Lung Disease (2020) · cites this paper as [40]

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Authors
Whitsett, J. A.
Affiliations
Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center (US)
Corresponding author
Whitsett, Jeffrey A.
Venue
Annals of the American Thoracic Society
Published
2018-11-01
Volume
15
Issue
Supplement_3
Pages
S143-S148
ISSN
  • 2325-6621 (ISSN-L)
  • 2329-6933
OpenAlex
W2900535696
Cited by
328
References
44
Citations by year
2026: 47 · 2025: 48 · 2024: 49 · 2023: 52 · 2022: 37 · 2021: 47 · 2020: 38 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 1
FWCI
17.69
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Annals of the American Thoracic Society (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institutes of Health
  • National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (U01HL110964, R01HL095580, U01HL122642)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine › Cystic Fibrosis Research Advances
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine › Respiratory and Cough-Related Research
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine › Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Research
Keywords
mucociliary clearance, airway epithelial differentiation, cilia, cough, mucus overproduction, goblet cell metaplasia, submucosal glands, chronic respiratory disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, cystic fibrosis, bronchiectasis, primary ciliary dyskinesia, airway defense
MeSH terms
Cell Differentiation, Cilia, Epithelial Cells, Humans, Lung Diseases, Mucins, Mucociliary Clearance, Mucus

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