Air pollution is a major, global public health concern. A growing body of evidence shows that exposure to air pollutants may impair the brain. Living in highly polluted areas has been linked to several neurodegenerative diseases, where exposure to complex mixtures of air pollutants in urban environments may have harmful effects on brain function. These harmful effects are thought to originate from elevated inflammation and oxidative stress. The olfactory epithelium is a key entry site of air pollutants into the brain as the particles are deposited in the upper airways and the nasal region. A potential source of patient-derived cells for study of air pollutant effects is the olfactory mucosa, which constitutes a central part of the olfactory epithelium. This review first summarizes the current literature on the available in vitro models of the olfactory epithelium. It then describes how alterations of the olfactory mucosa are linked to neurodegeneration and discusses potential therapeutic applications of these cells for neurodegenerative diseases. Finally, it reviews the research performed on the effects of air pollutant exposure in cells of the olfactory epithelium. Patient-derived olfactory epithelial models hold great promise for not only elucidating the molecular and cellular pathophysiology of neurodegenerative disorders, but for providing key understanding about air pollutant particle entry and effects at this key brain entry site.

空气污染是全球主要的公共卫生问题。越来越多的证据表明，暴露于空气污染物可能会损害大脑。生活在污染严重的地区与几种神经退行性疾病有关，在城市环境中暴露于复杂的空气污染物混合物中可能会对脑功能产生有害影响。这些有害作用被认为是由炎症和氧化应激加剧引起的。嗅觉上皮是空气污染物进入大脑的关键进入部位，因为这些颗粒沉积在上呼吸道和鼻腔区域。用于研究空气污染物影响的患者来源细胞的潜在来源是嗅觉粘膜，它构成了嗅觉上皮的中心部分。这篇评论首先总结了有关可用文献的最新文献。嗅上皮的体外模型。然后描述嗅觉粘膜的改变如何与神经退行性联系，并讨论了这些细胞在神经退行性疾病中的潜在治疗应用。最后，它回顾了关于嗅觉上皮细胞中空气污染物暴露影响的研究。患者来源的嗅觉上皮模型不仅为阐明神经退行性疾病的分子和细胞病理生理学，而且为提供关于空气污染物颗粒进入和在此关键的大脑进入部位的作用的关键理解提供了广阔的前景。