Airway sensory nerve ending

Airway sensory nerve endings are specialized terminals of sensory neurons innervating the respiratory tract, primarily arising from the vagal and, to a lesser extent, dorsal root ganglia. These endings detect a wide array of mechanical and chemical stimuli and transmit signals to central nervous system circuits that regulate essential airway protective reflexes, including cough, bronchoconstriction, and respiration. Airway sensory nerves are heterogeneous, encompassing mechanoreceptors (Aδ fibers), chemoreceptors/nociceptors (C fibers), and others, each characterized by different conduction velocities, molecular markers, and functional responses. Pathological remodeling or sensitization of these nerve endings is implicated in airway diseases such as asthma and chronic cough. While not a molecular target in itself, the sensory nerve ending is a critical anatomical site for several emerging therapeutic strategies, including ion channel modulators, local anesthetics, and neuropeptide receptor antagonists

Other names

Airway sensory nerve terminalsAirway afferent nerve endingsAirway sensory nerve fibers

Desensitization or inhibition of sensory nerve endings to suppress pathological reflexes (e.g., cough suppression by P2X3 antagonists) Blockade of specific ion channels or receptors (e.g., TRPV1, P2X3, others) on sensory nerve endings Inhibition of neurogenic inflammation