Respiratory epithelium is one of the main points of contact between the immune system and the external environment. It is present as the respiratory mucosa, which lines the majority of the respiratory system and protects and lubricates the airways.
The respiratory epithelium, or airway epithelium, is a ciliated pseudostratified columnar epithelium. As people breathe, their respiratory systems continuously filter air from the outside world. To preserve homeostasis and avoid inflammation, airways must continue to be able to remove debris, allergens, and pathogens while breathing.
Effective gas exchange, absorption of oxygen from the surroundings, and removal of carbon dioxide from the body all depend critically on the integrity and functionality of epithelium.
Just like the skin protects our body from irritants and external pathogens, the respiratory epithelium works to protect against and efficiently remove irritants and pathogens from the lungs and airways.
The respiratory epithelium has three main cell types, each of which is essential for controlling human breathing. The body is more vulnerable to infections, pathogens, inflammation, and haemostasis disruption if any of these barrier components are not operating correctly.
These are some of the key functions of the respiratory epithelium:
Respiratory epithelium has clinical significance, as it plays a crucial role in acting as a barrier to pathogens and outer particles. However, it also works by using the mucociliary elevator to stop tissue damage and infection.
A single layer of cells makes up an epithelium. They are usually sites of filtration, secretion, and absorption. The thinness of the epithelial barrier facilitates these processes. Different types of epithelium are classified depending on the number of cell layers and the shape of the cells. The standard classification of epithelium, are as follows:
No, the respiratory epithelium is not keratinised. Usually, it is a pseudostratified ciliated columnar epithelium with mucus-secreting goblet cells. This type of epithelium is appropriate for its function in the respiratory tract. This includes trapping and removing particles and pathogens while breathing.
However, keratinisation is a maturation process when cells generated in the basal layer go to the stratum corneum, where they degenerate and shed.
Your body’s health and activities depend heavily on epithelial tissue. Respiratory epithelium helps to preserve homeostasis and avoid inflammation. With the help of the respiratory epithelium, airways remove debris, pathogens, and allergens while breathing. The functions of this type of epithelium are humidification and warming, oxidant defence and injury response, filtration, and gas exchange.