goblet cell

A goblet cell is the airway's built-in mucus dispenser. Its name comes from its shape: the top of the cell bulges with stored mucus droplets, giving it the silhouette of a wine goblet, while a narrow stalk anchors it among the neighboring cells of the airway lining.

These cells synthesize and store mucins, then release them onto the airway surface, where the mucins absorb water and swell into the protective mucus gel. They are scattered among the ciliated cells of the airway epithelium, so production and transport sit side by side: one cell makes the flypaper, the next sweeps it along.

Goblet cells respond to their environment. Irritants such as smoke, allergens, and infection drive them to multiply and enlarge — a process called goblet cell hyperplasia — which produces the excess mucus typical of chronic bronchitis and asthma. So while goblet cells are protective in moderation, their overactivity is a hallmark of several common airway diseases.