tuft cell of nasal cavity respiratory epithelium
tuft cell of nasal cavity respiratory epithelium
A tuft cell that is part of the nasal cavity respiratory epithelium. Acting as a chemosensor, it detects bitter taste ligands and bacterial signals via taste receptors, maintaining epithelial-microbial homeostasis by stimulating antimicrobial peptide secretion from adjacent epithelial cells. This cell is a major source of IL-25, promoting type 2 immune responses and potentially contributing to chronic rhinosinusitis (O'Leary et al., 2019).