To investigate whether the change of E-cadherin (ECD) expression plays a role in the injury and repair of airway epithelial cells (AEC) caused by smoking. Porcine AECs to cigarette were cultured by using an enzyme-dispersed method. After exposure of the AECs to cigarette smoking extract (CSE) , the ECD expression in the cells was detected by using immunocytochemistry and in situ hybridization. The results showed that ECD was distributed on the plasma membrane at the cell junctions of AECs. After exposure to 20% CSE , the membranous ECD expression was be-creased, the cytoplasmic ECD expression was increased (P