Table 1: Comparison of bronchial epithelial components in atopic and nonatopic asthma.

Cell types or epithelial components Atopic asthma Nonatopic asthma Ciliated columnar Damage ++ Damage + [23, 24] Desmosomes Breakdown ++ Breakdown + [23] Goblet Hyperplasia + Hyperplasia − [23] Basal cells Damage +/− Damage +/− [23] Basement membrane Thickening ++ Thickening + [23, 24, 28–30] Eosinophils Infiltration +++ Infiltration +++ [20, 24, 33] Neutrophils Infiltration + Infiltration ++ [24, 34] Mast cells Infiltration ++ Infiltration + [23] Lymphocytes Infiltration +++ Infiltration ++ [21, 23, 24] Macrophages Infiltration + Infiltration ++ [20–22]