title: Airway epithelial repair in health and disease: Orchestrator or simply a player?
abstract: Epithelial cells represent the most important surface of contact in the body and form the first line of defence of the body to external environment. Consequently, epithelia have numerous roles in order to maintain a homeostatic defence barrier. Although the epithelium has been extensively studied over several decades, it remains the focus of new research, indicating a lack of understanding that continues to exist around these cells in specific disease settings. Importantly, evidence is emerging that airway epithelial cells in particular have varied complex functions rather than simple passive roles. One area of current interest is its role following injury. In particular, the epithelial-specific cellular mechanisms regulating their migration during wound repair remain poorly understood and remain an area that requires much needed investigation. A better understanding of the physiological, cellular and molecular wound repair mechanisms could assist in elucidating pathological processes that contribute to airway epithelial pathology. This review attempts to highlight migration-specific and cell-extracellular matrix (ECM) aspects of repair used by epithelial cells under normal and disease settings, in the context of human airways.
authors.affiliation: School of Paediatrics and Child Health, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia.|Centre for Cell Therapy and Regenerative Medicine, School of Medicine and Pharmacology, The University of Western Australia and Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Iosifidis
authors.affiliation: School of Paediatrics and Child Health, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia.|Telethon Kids Institute, Centre for Health Research, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Luke W
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Garratt
authors.affiliation: Centre for Cell Therapy and Regenerative Medicine, School of Medicine and Pharmacology, The University of Western Australia and Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia.|School of Biomedical Science and Curtin Health Innovation Research Institute, Curtin University, Bentley, Western Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Deirdre R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Coombe
authors.affiliation: School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia.|Priority Research Centre for Asthma and Respiratory Disease, Hunter Medical Research Institute, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.|Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
authors.forename: Darryl A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Knight
authors.affiliation: School of Paediatrics and Child Health, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia.|Centre for Cell Therapy and Regenerative Medicine, School of Medicine and Pharmacology, The University of Western Australia and Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia.|Telethon Kids Institute, Centre for Health Research, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia.|Department of Respiratory Medicine, Princess Margaret Hospital for Children, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Stephen M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Stick
authors.affiliation: School of Paediatrics and Child Health, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia.|Centre for Cell Therapy and Regenerative Medicine, School of Medicine and Pharmacology, The University of Western Australia and Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia.|Telethon Kids Institute, Centre for Health Research, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Western Australia, Australia.|Department of Respiratory Medicine, Princess Margaret Hospital for Children, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kicic
mesh_terms: D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D020545:Respiratory Mucosa / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology*
keywords: airway epithelium; asthma; cystic fibrosis; epithelial cell migration; wound repair