part of part of has characterizing marker set NS forest marker set of pulmonary ionocyte (Human lung). epithelial cell of lung ionocyte pulmonary ionocyte The pulmonary ionocyte is a relatively newly identified, specific epithelial cell type found primarily in the pulmonary or respiratory system. Discovered through novel mapping techniques in 2018, these cells are surprisingly rare, making up less than 2% of the cells in the lung's airway, yet they play an essential role in the airway surface liquid and mucus regulation, a crucial factor in lung health. The main responsibility of the pulmonary ionocyte pertains to the regulation and mobilization of chloride ions. They express a high level of CFTR (Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator) gene, which encodes a protein channel across the membrane of cells that produce mucus, sweat, saliva, tears, and digestive enzymes. The activity of CFTR regulates the movement of chloride ions and fluids in and out of cells, which helps maintain a balance of fluid in the organs they are expressed in. If CFTR is dysfunctional, it can cause conditions such as cystic fibrosis, characterized by thick, sticky mucus that can clog the lungs and obstruct the pancreas, leading to respiratory and digestive issues. The discovery of this cell type offers new doors to the treatment and further understanding of diseases like cystic fibrosis. Increased understanding of pulmonary ionocytes could contribute to the development of novel therapeutic approaches to manipulate the function of CFTR in the lungs and other organs affected by dysfunctional CFTR. (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.) The marker set ASCL3, BSND can identify the Human cell type pulmonary ionocyte in the lung with a confidence of 0.82 (NS-Forest FBeta value). https://cellxgene.cziscience.com/cellguide/CL_0017000 An ionocyte that is part of the lung epithelium. The cells from this type are major sources of the CFTR protein in human and mice. Homo sapiens lung epithelium