part of part of tracheal epithelial cell brush cell of tracheobronchial tree tuft cell brush cell of trachea 2010-09-02T02:38:37Z FMA:263224 https://cellxgene.cziscience.com/cellguide/CL_0002207 Brush cell of the epithelium in the trachea. The brush cell of the trachea is a specialized cell type located predominantly in the epithelial lining of the trachea. Brush cells, also called tuft cells, are named for their distinctive morphology - a broad base leading to a narrower apex, adorned with a tuft of rigid, long microvilli resembling a brush. The cells are columnar and among the smallest in the respiratory tract, yet their appearance sets them apart from the typical ciliated cells that make up the majority of the tracheal epithelium. Brush cells are believed to serve a role as chemosensory sentinels in the trachea, monitoring the biochemical environment. The ‘brush’ or ‘tuft’ serves a critical purpose in heightening the cell's sense of contact with its surroundings. Brush cells of the trachea are equipped with taste receptors and a taste transduction machinery, such as the cation channel TRPM5 (transient receptor potential melastatin 5). Following activation through bitter-taste receptors, brush cells initiate downstream signaling to sensory neurons which then leads to protective respiratory nerve reflexes. Recent research has also shown that tracheal brush cells not only detect pathogenic substances but also contribute to the antimicrobial host defense by releasing neuropeptides that ultimately direct an influx of innate immune cells. (This extended description was generated by ChatGPT and reviewed by the CellGuide team, who added references, and by the CL editors, who approved it for inclusion in CL. It may contain information that applies only to some subtypes and species, and so should not be considered definitional.) Homo sapiens epithelium of trachea