What do epithelial cells do in the lungs?

Epithelial cells of the lung are located at the interface between the environment and the organism and serve many important functions including barrier protection, fluid balance, clearance of particulate, initiation of immune responses, mucus and surfactant production, and repair following injury.

Are epithelial cells good?

Epithelial cells are cells that come from surfaces of your body, such as your skin, blood vessels, urinary tract, or organs. They serve as a barrier between the inside and outside of your body, and protect it from viruses. A small number of epithelial cells in your urine is normal.

Why is the bronchial tree covered with epithelial cells?

The adult human bronchial tree is covered with a continuous layer of epithelial cells that play a critical role in maintaining the conduit for air, and which are central to the defenses of the lung against inhaled environmental concomitants. The epithelial sheet functions as an interdependent unit with the other lung components.

What is the role of epithelial cells in the lung?

References CITING ARTICLES The adult human bronchial tree is covered with a continuous layer of epithelial cells that play a critical role in maintaining the conduit for air, and which are central to the defenses of the lung against inhaled environmental concomitants.

Where are the ciliated columnar epithelial cells in the respiratory tract?

The conducting airways of the lower respiratory tract are lined by ciliated columnar epithelial cells down to the terminal airways; these cells become nonciliated in the respiratory bronchioles.

How are NLRs expressed in lung epithelial cells?

NLRs expressed by lung epithelial cells include NOD1 and NOD2 which bind bacterial peptidoglycan moieties, activating mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase, NF-κB, and autophagic pathways. 3 Deficiency 30 or polymorphisms 31 of these receptors results in increased susceptibility to respiratory infections.