Nasal polyposis and epithelial wound healing a pathophysiologic hypothesis

Nasal polyposis (NP), asthma, and chronic bronchitis ore chronic inflammatory diseases of the upper airways. They may be caused by injury to the respiratory epithelium in ci chronic inflammatory environment. Several studies show that during NP nasal epithelial cells ore involved in the overexpression of cytokines and growth factors. Among these, transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) appears to play a major role in the genesis of NP. Differentiated respiratory epithelium, obtained from in vivo or in vitro models, is used to study wound healing in inflammatory environments, to elucidate the pathophysiology of NP and to improve understanding and management of upper airway inflammatory diseases.