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. 2018 Dec 4;115(49):12340-12342.
doi: 10.1073/pnas.1817484115. Epub 2018 Nov 20.

What it takes for a cough to expel mucus from the airway

Burton F Dickey  1
Affiliations

What it takes for a cough to expel mucus from the airway

Burton F Dickey. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. .
No abstract available

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Conflict of interest statement

The author declares no conflict of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1.
Fig. 1.
The pulmonary mucus clearance system. Mucins are synthesized by secretory cells in the airway surface epithelium (Lower Right) and in submucosal glands (not shown). Secreted mucins rise through the periciliary layer and combine with water and salts to form an overlying layer of mucus that is propelled from peripheral to central airways by the beating of cilia. Normally, cilia propel a thin layer of mucus up the trachea and through the larynx at the posterior commissure (Upper Right), which is covered by mucociliary epithelium (unlike the vocal cords, which are covered by squamous epithelium), and then into the pharynx where it mixes with saliva from the mouth and is swallowed into the esophagus (Left). During a cough, central airways narrow (Middle Right), and globs of mucus are propelled forcefully by a column of air moving at high velocity directly into the pharynx where they are either swallowed or expectorated, while some small fragments of mucus break off to travel as droplets with the expired air (20). Image courtesy of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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