The use of the nose to study the inflammatory response of the respiratory tract.

Contribution of Plasma‐Derived Molecules to Mucosal Immune Defence, Disease and Repair in the Airways

“…Thus, ample evidence of plasma exudation, as a characteristic of asthma and rhinitis, has accumulated during several decades (confirming early historical hints of 'plasma, serum, and fibrinoplastic substances' in the lumen of these inflamed airways) [3,4,32]. In the nose, almost any plasma protein occurring in lavage fluids may be a good index of the exudation [5] but, as delineated below, in the bronchi this may not be so.…”

“…This lavage procedure can be repeated ad libitum without undue effects on the nasal mucosa. In summary, in vivo mechanisms of the human airway mucosa in health and disease can be studied to advantage in the nose and it is possible that many of the findings apply also to the tracheobronchial mucosa [5].…”

“…Work carried out during the last decade has unravelled a different nature of plasma exudative responses in the airways of guinea pigs and human subjects [3][4][5][6]. For example, since the first observation in 1986 [6] it has been demonstrated repeatedly that bulk plasma exudates move across apparently intact airway epithelial linings to reach the mucosal surface [7].…”

Loss of size-selectivity at histamine-induced exudation of plasma proteins in atopic nasal airways

“…It would also mean that all the pluripotent proteins of the circulation have flooded the mucosal interstices and, potentially, been laid down along important subepithelial and paraepithelial pathways (Persson et al, 1998). In this study, we have taken advantage of the controlled in vivo conditions that are attainable within the human nose in studies of the inflammatory responses of the respiratory tract (Persson et al, 1992). Thus by use of a nasal pool-device (Greiff et al, 1990), we have gently but efficiently removed upper airway surface solutes to create minimal baseline protein levels suitable for determination of induced plasma exudation responses.…”

Nasal Mucociliary Clearance in Subjects With COPD After Smoking Cessation

“…[27][28][29][30][31][32] Furthermore, the nasal cavity has respiratory epithelium similar to the rest of the respiratory tract 33 and the literature has established that nasal mucociliary transport has a good correlation with tracheobronchial transport, 30,34 which obviates the need for more invasive procedures. 35 Subjects were seated and positioned with 10 degrees of neck extension.…”