The influence of innate lymphoid cells and unconventional T cells in chronic inflammatory lung disease

Abstract

The lungs are continuously subjected to environmental insults making them susceptible to infection and injury. They are protected by the respiratory epithelium, which not only serves as a physical barrier but also a reactive one that can release cytokines, chemokines, and other defense proteins in response to danger signals, and can undergo conversion to protective mucus-producing goblet cells. The lungs are also guarded by a complex network of highly specialized immune cells and their mediators to support tissue homeostasis and resolve integrity deviation. This review focuses on specialized innate-like lymphocytes present in the lung that act as key sensors of lung insults and direct the pu..