QUICK LOOK
Current knowledge
Mucociliary clearance is the main defense mechanism
of the respiratory system, and it is influenced by several
stimuli, including aerobic exercise and cigarette smoking. Continuous exposure to the chemical substances
contained in cigarette smoke causes epithelial remodeling, with an increased number of goblet cells, hypertrophy of mucous cells, and the loss of ciliated cells.
This leads to an increase in the production of mucus
and a reduced ability to eliminate it, resulting in impaired mucociliary clearance compared with nonsmokers