How epithelial cells detect danger: aiding the immune response

The epithelial layer occupies a strategic important location between an organisms' interior and exterior environment. Although as such it forms a physical barrier between both environments, it became clear that the role of the epithelium extends far beyond this rather passive role. Through spec...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Allergy (Copenhagen) 2008-09, Vol.63 (9), p.1110-1123
Main Authors: Vroling, A.B, Fokkens, W.J, van Drunen, C.M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
allergy
Animals
Biological and medical sciences
Cellular biology
Dermatology
Epithelial Cells - immunology
epithelium
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Fundamental immunology
Gene Expression
Humans
hypersensitivity
immune response
Immune system
Immunity, Mucosal
Medical sciences
Pathogens
receptors
Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear - metabolism
Sarcoidosis. Granulomatous diseases of unproved etiology. Connective tissue diseases. Elastic tissue diseases. Vasculitis
Signal Transduction
Tissues
Toll-Like Receptors - metabolism
Citations: Items that this one cites
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:The epithelial layer occupies a strategic important location between an organisms' interior and exterior environment. Although as such it forms a physical barrier between both environments, it became clear that the role of the epithelium extends far beyond this rather passive role. Through specialized receptors and other more general mechanisms, the epithelial layer is not only able to sense changes in its environment but also to actively respond to these changes. These responses allow the epithelium to contribute to wound and tissue repair, to the defense against micro-organisms, and to the control and regulation of the locale immune response. In this review, we focus on signals acting on epithelium from the exterior environment, how these signals are processed and identify research challenges.
ISSN:0105-4538
1398-9995
DOI:10.1111/j.1398-9995.2008.01785.x