plain_o_llama said:
I assume this is some of the context....
https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/pdf/10.1146/annurev-virology-012420-022445
5.1. Intrinsic Barriers
The intrinsic barrier provides the first line of defense against respiratory viruses on the mucosal surface of the respiratory epithelium. Different airway epithelium composition in the different parts of the respiratory tract creates the airway diameter-dependent barrier defenses (73). The epithelial cells lining on the airway surface comprise an efficient mechanical barrier, as well as provide MCC. Furthermore, mucus secreted from the goblet cells and submucosal glands in the larger conducting airways confers chemical barriers at the mucosal surface (74).
5.1.1. Mucus production.
An incoming virus first must find epithelial cells to invade the host. Mucus layers can effectively trap the virus before it can enter the host cells (Figure 4). Mucus secreted from the submucosal glands within the lamina propria serves as a mechanical barrier and as a chemical barrier by its antimicrobial properties (74, 75). Components of the mucus are 93-97% w/w water, 37% w/w solids, 13% w/w glycoproteins, 1% w/w proteins, 0.51% w/wlipids, and 0.701.4% w/w minerals (76). The major glycoproteins in the airway mucus are secretory mucin proteins MUC5AC and MUC5B (77).
What you're showing represents the respiratory lining's innate protective characteristics and why URIs propagate more readily in dryer air as is seen outdoors but especially indoors during the winter.
Iodine seems to be directly virucidal, hence its study in preventing or even treating early COVID.
Biofilms are secreted by bacteria. Quorum sensing, protection fromantibiotics and mucolytics, etc. are the end result of bio films. WAAY above my pay grade, as Obama might say, but perhaps there are microbiologists who could chime in. I've been a big believer in Mupirocin and baby shampoo rinses for bacterial sinusitis for years. This is the first time I've seen surfactants discussed for the prevention or treatment of viruses. Necessity is the Mother of invention, I guess.
