Neuroendocrinelike (Small Granule) Epithelial Cells of the Lung

Well‐differentiated bronchial neuroendocrine tumors: Clinical management and outcomes in 105 patients

“…24 In this series, bronchial NETs were commoner in females with a ratio of approximately 1:1.5. We have a biased referral practice as a tertiary referral center for treatment of advanced neuroendocrine tumors.…”

“…We found that bronchial NETs were commoner in the right lung (57%) possibly due to the difference in distribution of neuroendocrine cells in the lung. 24 In this series, bronchial NETs were commoner in females with a ratio of approximately 1:1.5. The median age of presentation for TC was 52.80 years and for AC 56.10 years.…”

Three‐dimensional reconstruction of a small‐granule paracrine cell cluster in an adult hamster bronchus

“…The described appearance of the cytoplasmic organelles was also consistent with an interpretation of normal metabolic activity in small-granule cells, and the stores of secretory granules were indicative of its emphasis. In these characteristics little distinction can be made between the uninnervated hamster cells and innervated neuroepithelial cells in the lungs of rabbits and several other species, as given by the literature (DiAugustine and Sonstegard, 1984). This being the case,…”

“…A distinctive class of small-granule pulmonary epithelial cells with morphologic and histochemical features of amine precursor uptake and decarboxylation (APUD) polypeptide hormone-producing cells (Pearse, 1969) has been described in a wide variety of vertebrates (DiAugustine and Sonstegard, 1984). In the extrapulmonary airways these cells usually occur singly, while in the intrapulmonary airways they occur either singly or in well-organized clusters called neuroepithelial bodies (NEBS) (Lauweryns and Peuskens, 1972).…”

Seeing Is Believing. Sensing Real Progress in the Study of Human Airway Nerves

“…In addition to these nerves, PGP9.5-positive epithelial cells, termed pulmonary neuroendocrine cells (PNECs), were consistently observed either singly or in small clusters throughout the airway epithelium. PNECs have previously been reported in the human lung but have generally been observed in the upper airway (nasal) and laryngeal regions (11,12). A precise role for PNECs within the adult human airway has yet to be established, but despite accounting for barely more than 1% of airway epithelial cells, their close approximation to PGP9.5-positive nerves, as observed by these authors, gives some credibility to the concept of nerve-epithelial cell "cross-talk" contributing to the sensory function of the human airway.…”