Skip to main content
. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2015 Feb 5.
Published in final edited form as: Nat Immunol. 2014 Dec 18;16(1):27–35. doi: 10.1038/ni.3045

Figure 3.

Figure 3

Signaling via PAMPs and DAMPs in respiratory epithelial cells and downstream host-defense responses. PAMPs derived from commensal microbes or respiratory pathogens and DAMPs generated from cell stress and/or death within both the conducting airways and alveoli are recognized via membrane-associated or cytosolic PRRs expressed in respiratory epithelial cells. The binding of ligands to these receptors results in the activation of epithelial cell–intrinsic signaling pathways (via MAPK, IRFs, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and NF-κB) and subsequent production of cytokines, chemokines and antimicrobial proteins that recruit and activate cells of the innate and adaptive immune systems and regulate barrier function. These same recognition pathways in epithelial cells can stimulate autophagy, phagocytosis and the clearance of necrotic cells and pathogens and thus further influence local inflammatory responses. dsRNA, double-stranded RNA.