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Updated: Jan 3, 2026

Determining Ciliary Function and Membrane Impermeability of the Pseudostratified Lung Airway Epithelium
Published on: February 21, 2025
Key role of the epithelium in chronic upper airways diseases
Sophie Gohy1,2, Cloé Hupin1, Maha Zohra Ladjemi3
1Pole of Pneumology, ENT and Dermatology, Université catholique de Louvain (UCL), Brussels, Belgium.
Abstract:
The respiratory epithelium of the upper airways is a first-line defence against inhaled irritants, pathogens and allergens. It ensures a physical barrier provided by apical junctions and mucociliary clearance to avoid excessive activation of the immune system. The epithelium also forms a chemical and immunological barrier, extensively equipped to protect the airways against external aggressions before the adaptive immune system is required. Under normal circumstances, the epithelium is capable of recovering rapidly after damage. This manuscript reviews these main properties of the upper airway epithelium as well as its reported impairments in chronic inflammatory diseases. The knowledge on normal epithelial functions and their dysregulation in upper airway diseases should help to design new epithelial-targeted treatments.
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