Airway Epithelial Cells (Primaries vs Cell Lines)

The cells lining the airway consist of epithelial cells, of which there are several types including columnar cells, basal cells, and secretory/goblet cells. It is these cells which are the first lines of defense against airborne inflammatory agents. Initially, it was thought that the epithelium just formed a physical barrier between the lumen and the underlying-cells in the lung. However, epithelial cells themselves do exhibit many anti-inflammatory features and may actively participate in the inflammatory processes in the lung. The development of in vitro cell culture systems of airway epithelia has added to studies into the pathology of airway inflammation.