Damage to Airway Epithelium

Abstract

Ciliated cells and goblet cells are the cells most exposed to external noxae, and thus more subject to damage. In chronic bronchitic disease and in other pulmonary diseases in which there is abnormal mucus production, the goblet cells appear swollen and increased in number, while cilia are often nonuniformly glued to each other by mucus. During bacterial and viral infections marked changes have been observed in the “ciliated carpet”. Initially there is a partial sloughing of isolated ciliated cells and, mainly during viral infection, also loss of cilia, more severe in the bronchioli and small intrapulmonary bronchi than in the major bronchi. This loss of cilia destroys the ciliary carpet on the luminal surface of these airways and exposes the microvilli [1]. The exact mechanism of ciliary loss has not been determined. The damage is not uniform, as intact areas are still visible scattered throughout the respiratory mucosae, near damaged areas.