Pulmonary neuroendocrine cells (PNECs) are rare airway epithelial cells that also uniquely harbor neuronal and endocrine characteristics. In vitro data indicate that these cells respond to chemical or mechanical stimuli by releasing neuropeptides and neurotransmitters, implicating them as airway sensors. Emerging in vivo data corroborate this role and demonstrate that PNECs are important for lung response to signals, such as allergens. With close proximity to steady-state immune cells and innervating nerves, PNECs, as prototype tissue-resident neuroendocrine cells, are at the center of a neuro-immune module that enables the fundamental ability of an organ to sense and respond to the environment.

肺神经内分泌细胞（PNEC）是稀有的气道上皮细胞，也具有独特的神经元和内分泌特征。体外数据表明，这些细胞通过释放神经肽和神经递质，对化学或机械刺激作出反应，将其作为气道传感器。新兴的体内数据证实了这一作用，并证明PNEC对肺部对信号（例如变应原）的反应非常重要。PNEC与稳态免疫细胞和神经支配非常接近，它们作为原型组织驻留神经内分泌细胞，位于神经免疫模块的中心，该模块使器官具有感知和响应环境的基本能力。