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Goblet cells arise from pluripotent stem cells and derive their name from their goblet, cup-like appearance (see Image. Histology Showing Goblet Cells). The primary function of goblet cells is to secrete mucin and create a protective mucus layer. Goblet cells are also thought to be involved with immunoregulation. Samples of goblet cells can be preserved through cryopreservation and analyzed with light microscopy. Additionally, goblet cells exhibit a complex cytoskeletal architecture and may have different glycosylation patterns. As a result, different localized goblet cells may have slightly altered functionalities. Clinically, goblet cells are associated with respiratory diseases and inflammatory bowel diseases.
Mucus hypersecretion due to goblet cell hyperplasia is a symptom of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Hyperplasia refers to areas where the excessive proliferation of goblet cells occurs in areas where they are normally present, such as large airways. As a result of this goblet cell proliferation, the usual protective role of goblet cell mucin secretion transforms into a pathophysiological role. The proliferation of goblet cells can also contribute to respiratory disease through changes in volume and biophysical features of airway mucus.[5] Other pathologies may also present with goblet cell metaplasia due to altered size, shape, number, and distribution. A hallmark of chronic lung disease, goblet cell metaplasia lacks curative treatment. In this disease, mucin-secreting goblet cells accumulate in the airway and invoke mucus hypersecretion. This blockage affects epithelial cells, immune cells, and other types of cells in the airways. Inflammatory pathways may attenuate or worsen the condition. Timing for goblet cell metaplasia may last from a few weeks to decades. Smoking cigarettes, inhaling biomass fuels, chronic bronchitis, environmental allergens that trigger asthma, and mutations of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator may cause lung diseases with goblet cell metaplasia.[11]