Lungs are composed of a system of highly branched tubes that bring air into the alveoli,
where gas exchange takes place. The proximal and distal regions of the lung contain …

Pulmonary defense against environmental injury depends on airway mucus, which traps
inhaled toxins that are then cleared from the lungs by ciliary beating and cough. This review …

Membrane fusion triggered by Ca2+ is orchestrated by a conserved set of proteins to
mediate synaptic neurotransmitter release, mucin secretion and other regulated exocytic …

Rationale: MUC5AC and MUC5B are the predominant gel-forming mucins in the mucus
layer of human airways. Each mucin has distinct functions and site-specific expression …

Respiratory surfaces are exposed to billions of particulates and pathogens daily. A
protective mucus barrier traps and eliminates them through mucociliary clearance (MCC) …

Cigarette smoke first interacts with the lung through the cellularly diverse airway epithelium
and goes on to drive development of most chronic lung diseases. Here, through single cell …

The gain-of-function MUC5B promoter variant rs35705950 is the dominant risk factor for
developing idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Here we show in humans that MUC5B, a …

This review focuses on the role and regulation of mucin glycoproteins (mucins) in airway
health and disease. Mucins are highly glycosylated macromolecules (≥ 50% carbohydrate …

In asthma, airflow obstruction is thought to result primarily from inflammation-triggered
airway smooth muscle (ASM) contraction. However, anti-inflammatory and smooth muscle …

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is an incurable complex genetic disorder that is
associated with sequence changes in 7 genes (MUC5B, TERT, TERC, RTEL1, PARN …