The airway epithelium is the body’s first line of defense to inhaled pathogens and noxious stimuli. The numerous epithelial cell subtypes that comprise the epithelium play specific roles in maintaining lung health and regulating both innate and adaptive immune responses. Furthermore, the tight junctions between neighboring cells provide a crucial barrier against infiltration of microbes into the interstitium and bloodstream.Airway epithelial dysfunction leads to airway diseases. Mutations in the Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator (CFTR) gene cause the hereditary disease Cystic Fibrosis (CF) in which defective CFTR-dependent ion and fluid transport impairs the mucociliary clearance of inhaled pathogens and excessive inflammatory responses result in epithelial damage and tissue fibrosis. Inhalation of cigarette smoke is the major cause of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), which is characterized by a loss of epithelial integrity, chronic inflammation, and excess mucus production. Meanwhile, sensitization to inhaled allergens and other stimuli induces a release of inflammatory mediators from the epithelium. These stimulate immune cells to produce Th2 cytokines that act on the epithelium and smooth muscle and may contribute to airway hyperresponsiveness and severe asthma.

The aim of this collection is to provide a collection of techniques and methodologies that can be used for multidisciplinary studies of airway epithelia. Detailed visual presentation of airway disease models will provide powerful tools that can be used in the search for new therapies.