Abstract

RIVAS-SANTIAGO, Bruno Tonatiuh; TORRES ROJAS, Martha; BOBADILLA LOZOYA, Karen  and  SADA DIAZ, Eduardo. Immunological role of epithelial cells of the lung. Rev. Inst. Nal. Enf. Resp. Mex. [online]. 2005, vol.18, n.4, pp.321-326. ISSN 0187-7585.

The respiratory tract is one of the main systems which is in perennial contact with a wide variety of pathogenic microorganisms; however, infection is seldom produced due to its innate immune response. Respiratory tract epithelial cells play a very important role to avoid colonization of the lung by infectious agents, because they recognize microbial molecules through very specialized receptors, such as toll-like receptors; moreover, these cells posses a broad variety of molecules which are related to local immunity. Respiratory tract epithelial cells produce chemokines, antimicrobial peptides and other proinflammatory molecules that prevent the establishment of pathogenic microorganisms

Keywords : Epithelial cells; antimicrobial peptides; defensins; innate immunity.

        · abstract in Spanish     · text in Spanish     · Spanish ( pdf )