Structural and cellular mechanisms of mucus plugging in the larger airways
Zheqing Hu, Liyuan Yang, Yabo Ma, Juan Chen, Xiaoming Liu · 2026
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Description
Zheqing Hu and co-authors explain stubborn mucus plugs in large airways, in a 2026 review covering cystic fibrosis, asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Swollen submucosal glands hold a huge mucus reservoir, and their output can overwhelm the surface of big airways.
Their flush-load model blames imbalance: serous fluid from glands, the flush, falls short of hydrating heavy mucins, the load, so osmotic pressure collapses the cilia and seals the airway. Each disease tips the balance its own way, through faulty ion channels, type 2 inflammation or growth-factor driven remodelling. Sticky MUC5B strands from glands weave with surface MUC5AC into a mesh. The authors urge upstream treatment of gland stem cells and ion balance.
Catalog record
| CREATOR | Zheqing Hu, Liyuan Yang, Yabo Ma, Juan Chen, Xiaoming Liu |
|---|---|
| YEAR | 2026 |
| COLLECTION | PAPERS |
| FORMAT | TXT |
| FILE SIZE | 80929 |
| LICENSE | https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 |
| RIGHTS | CC BY |
| SOURCE | Europe PMC |