Key facts
- System
- Respiratory system
- Shape
- Simple columnar
- Function
- Mucin -producing epithelial cells
- Latin
- exocrimohsinoctus caliciformis
- Mesh
- D020397
- Th
- H3.04.03.0.00009, H3.04.03.0.00016, H3.05.00.0.00006
via Wikipedia infobox
Research
14,982 papers- Goblet cell adenocarcinoma.Seminars in diagnostic pathology · 2024
- Goblet cell adenocarcinoma of the appendix: an update and practical approach to diagnosis and grading.Human pathology · 2023
- Goblet Cell Carcinoid/Carcinoma: An Update.Advances in anatomic pathology · 2019
- Goblet cell tumors of the appendix: A review.Annals of diagnostic pathology · 2019
- Goblet cell-associated antigen passage: A gatekeeper of the intestinal immune system.Immunology · 2023
via PubMed
~10 min read
Encyclopedic overview
Goblet cells are simple columnar epithelial cells that secrete gel-forming mucins, like mucin 2 in the lower gastrointestinal tract, and mucin 5AC in the respiratory tract. The goblet cells mainly use the merocrine method of secretion, secreting vesicles into a duct, but may use apocrine methods, budding off their secretions, when under stress. The term goblet refers to the cell's goblet-like shape. The apical portion is shaped like a cup, as it is distended by abundant mucus laden granules; its basal portion lacks these granules and is shaped like a stem.
The goblet cell is highly polarized with the nucleus and other organelles concentrated at the base of the cell and secretory granules containing mucin, at the apical surface. The apical plasma membrane projects short microvilli to give an increased surface area for secretion.
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “goblet cell” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.