α7 nAChR in Airway Respiratory Epithelial Cells

This review examines the role of α7 nAChR in different types of airway epithelial cells of the normal human bronchial tree. In each of these cells α7 nAChR activation elicits a specific effect. The effect is essentially mitogenic, whereas in the airway basal cells are antiproliferative. It is postulated that α7 nAChR may have mitogenic or antiproliferative signals differentially activated in different types of airway cells and under exposure to exogenous stimuli such as nicotine.