TY - CHAP
T1 - Sensory nerves and airway irritability
AU - Canning, B. J.
AU - Spina, D.
PY - 2009
Y1 - 2009
N2 - The lung, like many other organs, is innervated by a variety of sensory nerves and by nerves of the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems that regulate the function of cells within the respiratory tract. Activation of sensory nerves by both mechanical and chemical stimuli elicits a number of defensive reflexes, including cough, altered breathing pattern, and altered autonomic drive, which are important for normal lung homeostasis. However, diseases that afflict the lung are associated with altered reflexes, resulting in a variety of symptoms, including increased cough, dyspnea, airways obstruction, and bronchial hyperresponsiveness. This review summarizes the current knowledge concerning the physiological role of different sensory nerve subtypes that innervate the lung, the factors which lead to their activation, and pharmacological approaches that have been used to interrogate the function of these nerves. This information may potentially facilitate the identification of novel drug targets for the treatment of respiratory disorders such as cough, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
AB - The lung, like many other organs, is innervated by a variety of sensory nerves and by nerves of the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems that regulate the function of cells within the respiratory tract. Activation of sensory nerves by both mechanical and chemical stimuli elicits a number of defensive reflexes, including cough, altered breathing pattern, and altered autonomic drive, which are important for normal lung homeostasis. However, diseases that afflict the lung are associated with altered reflexes, resulting in a variety of symptoms, including increased cough, dyspnea, airways obstruction, and bronchial hyperresponsiveness. This review summarizes the current knowledge concerning the physiological role of different sensory nerve subtypes that innervate the lung, the factors which lead to their activation, and pharmacological approaches that have been used to interrogate the function of these nerves. This information may potentially facilitate the identification of novel drug targets for the treatment of respiratory disorders such as cough, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
KW - Bronchial hyperresponsiveness
KW - Bronchoconstriction
KW - C-fibers
KW - Cough
KW - Cough receptor
KW - Mucus secretion
KW - Parasympathetic nervous system
KW - Rapidly adapting receptors
KW - Sympathetic nervous system
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=70349918001&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=70349918001&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/978-3-540-79090-7_5
DO - 10.1007/978-3-540-79090-7_5
M3 - Chapter
C2 - 19655107
AN - SCOPUS:70349918001
SN - 9783540790891
T3 - Handbook of Experimental Pharmacology
SP - 139
EP - 183
BT - Handbook of Experimental Pharmacology
A2 - Canning, Brendan
A2 - Spina, Domenico
ER -