Alveolar neuroendocrine cells regulate local immune response mechanism

In the resting state, the body of the air out of the lungs are about 5-8 liters per minute, which contain large quantities of allergenic substances. These signals can be the surface of the lungs cell recognition and transfer trigger a series of physiological responses, including pulmonary blood pressure, immune response, respiratory rhythm, etc., but in which the mechanism is not clear. Pulmonary neuroendocrine cells are present in the lungs of a cell type, accounting for 1% of all epidermal cells. In vitro studies indicated that the previous PNEC for feelings of oxygen, the lungs and the bronchial smooth muscle of the organization as well as the immune response plays an important role, but there has been a lack of evidence in the body. Some clinical evidence suggests that common diseases of the lungs, such as asthma, cystic fibrosis and poor trachea development, etc., are accompanied by a rise in the number PNEC, but the causal relationship is not clear.

In the lungs of mice, PNEC generally 20-30 cells distributed in clusters called neuroepithelial bodies, they generally like structures form vesicles, filled with biologically active neuropeptides. Previous studies have shown that these neuropeptides are likely to participate in physical activity PNEC, which, from the University of Wisconsin - Xin Sun Madison campus group conducted a detailed study. Relevant results published in the "science" the latest issue of the magazine.