Library · Physiology
Mucus as a defense
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Mucus has a bad reputation, but it is one of the body's most important barriers. It is an organized layer that keeps bacteria away from the cells of the epithelium, the tissue that lines the inside of the nose, the airways and the intestine.
It is made by goblet cells, named for their cup-like shape. What they secrete are mucins: glycoproteins, that is, proteins with sugars attached, and the main macromolecular component of mucus.
The nose makes it obvious: mucus traps the particles that come in with the air and acts as a barrier against inhaled microbes. Think of a sticky carpet no one crosses without getting stuck.
And it does more than trap. Mucus also carries immunoglobulin A, an antibody, and two proteins, lysozyme and lactoferrin, that provide active protection.
In brief
Mucus is a barrier: an organized layer that keeps bacteria away from the cells of the epithelium.
A sticky carpet no one crosses without getting stuck.
It is made by goblet cells, which secrete mucins, the main macromolecular component of mucus.
In the nose, mucus traps particles from the air and acts as a barrier against inhaled microbes.
It does more than trap: it also carries immunoglobulin A, lysozyme and lactoferrin as active defenses.
Sources (2)
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, StatPearls PublishingHistology, Goblet Cells, StatPearlsPublished
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, StatPearls PublishingAnatomy, Head and Neck, Nasal Cavity, StatPearlsPublished
This page explains the topic in general terms; it does not tell anyone what treatment to follow.
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