Neuroendocrine cells initiate protective upper airway reflexes

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Seeholzer, Laura F.; Julius, David
• 署名单位: University of California System; University of California San Francisco
• 刊物名称: SCIENCE
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0036-10999
• DOI: 10.1126/science.adh5483
• 发表日期: 2024-04-19
• 页码: 295-301
• 关键词: pulmonary neuroepithelial bodies; international-union; laryngeal receptors; lung; serotonin; pharmacology; activation; aspiration; calcium; stretch

摘要

Airway neuroendocrine (NE) cells have been proposed to serve as specialized sensory epithelial cells that modulate respiratory behavior by communicating with nearby nerve endings. However, their functional properties and physiological roles in the healthy lung, trachea, and larynx remain largely unknown. In this work, we show that murine NE cells in these compartments have distinct biophysical properties but share sensitivity to two commonly aspirated noxious stimuli, water and acid. Moreover, we found that tracheal and laryngeal NE cells protect the airways by releasing adenosine 5 '-triphosphate (ATP) to activate purinoreceptive sensory neurons that initiate swallowing and expiratory reflexes. Our work uncovers the broad molecular and biophysical diversity of NE cells across the airways and reveals mechanisms by which these specialized excitable cells serve as sentinels for activating protective responses.