Figure 8: Schematic of RSV infection in pediatric compared to adult HNO-ALIs.

Prior to infection, pediatric lines have increased mucus as well as more basal cells. After infection with RSV, both pediatric and adult HNOs have ciliary damage, increased mucus production, cell death and damage, and increase cytokine production. However, pediatric lines have more ciliary damage, more cellular damage, and increased cytokine production compared to adult lines. Pediatric lines do not have a comparative increase in the amount of apoptosis to their increased cell damage compared to adult lines, suggesting that other mechanisms of cell death such as cell necrosis may be contributing, further augmenting the inflammatory response. Created with BioRender.com