Table 3 Airway remodeling in asthma and COPD. Muscarinic receptors and acetylcholine play significant roles in airway smooth muscle remodeling, and possibly in goblet cell hyperplasia and mucus gland hypertrophy. Their involvement in other aspects of airway remodeling is less well explored.

Airway smooth

Hyperplasia

[121, 139]

Increased ASM mass

[140]

muscle (ASM)

Hypertrophy

[101, 139]

Hypercontractility

[23]

Hypercontractility

[20-22, 24]

Mucus production

Goblet cell hyperplasia

Mucus gland hypertrophy

[141]

Goblet cell hyperplasia

Mucus gland hypertrophy

[142]

Vasculature

Pulmonary vascular remodeling

[143]

Pulmonary vascular remodeling

[144-146]

Basement membrane

Thickened

[76]

Not thickened

[76]

Extracellular matrix

Subepithelial collagen deposition

(Myo)fibroblast accumulation

[101, 147]

Airway wall fibrosis

Loss of alveolar walls

[76]