Respiratory Tract Epithelial Cell

Respiratory tract epithelial cells are the primary cellular component lining the airways, from the nasal passages through to the alveoli. They form a continuous barrier that is essential for both airway protection and function. The epithelium varies in structure along different regions of the respiratory tract, with pseudostratified columnar epithelium in larger airways (trachea, bronchi) and cuboidal or squamous types in smaller bronchioles and alveoli. Dysfunction or structural changes within respiratory tract epithelium are implicated in major lung diseases such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cystic fibrosis, bronchogenic carcinoma/cancer.

Other names

Airway Epithelial CellLung Epithelial Cell