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Updated: Nov 4, 2025
Determining Ciliary Function and Membrane Impermeability of the Pseudostratified Lung Airway Epithelium
Published on: February 21, 2025
The airway epithelium during infancy and childhood: A complex multicellular immune barrier. Basic review for
Xilei Xu-Chen1, Jered Weinstock1, Deepa Rastogi1
1Division of Pediatric Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine, Children's National Hospital, George Washington University, Washington, D.C, USA.
Abstract:
The airway epithelium is a complex multicellular layer that extends from the nasopharynx to the small airways. It functions as an immune respiratory barrier during early life that develops, matures, and regenerates to adapt to the changes in the environment. While airway epithelial abnormalities have been identified in several clinical disorders, there is increasing interest in understanding its basic regulation and structure in humans. Indeed, recent advances in technology (e.g. single-cell analysis and new human airway epithelial cell models) have allowed us to identify additional cellular subtypes and functions that overall have greatly improved our understanding of the airway epithelium during health and disease. In this review we summarize key features of the airway epithelium including: 1) multilayer structure and cell heterogeneity; 2) adaptability to different environmental and developmental stimuli; 3) innate recognition; and 4) orchestration of immune responses. We discuss these features with a translational and clinical prospective focusing on the development of human respiratory immunity, particularly during early life.
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