Upper airway structures

The upper airway structures comprise the anatomical regions of the respiratory tract located above the cricoid cartilage, including the nose, nasal cavity, ethmoid sinus, frontal sinus, maxillary sinus, sphenoid sinus, pharynx, and larynx (StatPearls, 2023). These structures perform vital functions such as filtering, warming, and humidifying inspired air before it reaches the lower respiratory tract, while also playing key roles in phonation and olfaction (NIH, 2022). Although 'upper airway structures' refers to a complex anatomical system rather than a single molecular target, it is the primary site for numerous inflammatory and infectious diseases, such as allergic rhinitis and sinusitis (Mayo Clinic, 2023). Therapeutic strategies often involve the delivery of drugs like corticosteroids or antihistamines directly to the mucosal surfaces to modulate local immune responses and reduce tissue edema. Consequently, while the term is used to describe a region of therapeutic interest, it does not represent a specific protein or receptor in the context of molecular pharmacology.

Other names

Upper respiratory tractUpper airway

Pharmacological agents act on specific molecular targets within these structures, such as glucocorticoid receptors to reduce inflammation or alpha-adrenergic receptors to induce vasoconstriction.