[Cytophysiology of lung bronchiolar secretory cells--source of inflammation "antimediators"]

Literature and original authors' data on topography, structural organization and function of secretory bronchiolar Clara cells of the lungs in various representatives of mammals and humans are analyzed. Involvement of Clara cells in bronchiolar clearance, metabolization of xenobiotics and carcinogenic substances, synthesis of specific low molecular proteins (SLP), antimediators of inflammation. Special attention is drawn to the SLP properties; proteins with antiprotease properties are revealed among SLP. Other proteins are modulators of local inflammatory resection in the lungs or regulators of pulmonary surfactant function.