Kasmera (Jun 2006)

Immunological Role of Lung Epithelial Cells

  • Bruno Rivas-Santiago,
  • Patricia Vieyra-Reyes,
  • Carlos Fernández de Larrea,
  • Zaida Araujo

Journal volume & issue
Vol. 34, no. 1
pp. 61 – 68

Abstract

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The respiratory tract is one of the main apparatus which is in daily contact with a wide variety of microorganisms, however, only on a few occasions is infection establish because of its innate immune response. Respiratory tract epithelial cells play a very important role in avoiding infectious agent colonization of the lungs, since this kind of cell can recognize microbial molecules through very specialized receptors such as Toll-like. Moreover these cells posses a broad variety of molecules which are related to local immunity. Respiratory tract epithelial cells are capable of producing several chemokines, antimicrobial peptides and other pro-inflammatory molecules.

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