Sentinels of the airways

• 成果类型: Editorial Material
• 署名作者: Zhu, Ziai; Sun, Xin
• 署名单位: University of California System; University of California San Diego; University of California System; University of California San Diego
• 刊物名称: SCIENCE
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0036-8166
• DOI: 10.1126/science.ado9995
• 发表日期: 2024-04-19
• 页码: 269-270
• 关键词: pulmonary neuroendocrine cells; aspiration; serotonin

摘要

The respiratory tract is essential for breathing but is also important for detecting and responding to inhaled harmful (noxious) stimuli, such as pollutants, pathogens, water, and acid. Neuroendocrine cells (NECs)-rare epithelial cells that share characteristics with neurons-are an integral component of this sensory surveillance system ( 1 ). Although NECs have been proposed to act as airway sentinels capable of perceiving chemical and mechanical cues and can secrete signals to relay information to other cells and tissues ( 2 ), their functional roles remain poorly understood. On page 295 of this issue, Seeholzer et al. ( 3 ) report the morphological and biophysical diversity of NECs along the respiratory tract of mice, highlighting their ability to sense different noxious stimuli. Moreover, NECs in the larynx and trachea interact with sensory neurons to initiate protective swallowing and expiratory reflexes. These findings elucidate how NECs control fundamental physiological responses and may inform interventions for treating respiratory disorders.