The virus is attracted to the glycoproteins and mucopolysaccharides of the mucus coating the respiratory mucosa.

Chlorpheniramine maleate, an H1-blocking antihistamine, relieves histamine-induced allergic edema of respiratory mucosa.

Sialic acid is a component of the complex sugar glycocalix, which is the mucus protecting the gastrointestinal and respiratory mucosa.

Aerosolized influenza virus is inhaled and embeds in the respiratory mucosa, of the upper and lower respiratory tract.

With a strong, dense smell, ether causes irritation to respiratory mucosa and is uncomfortable to breathe, often triggering salivation, vomiting, coughing or spasms.

Once inhaled, variola major virus invades the oropharyngeal (mouth and throat) or the respiratory mucosa, migrates to regional lymph nodes, and begins to multiply.

A systematic review evaluating 19 studies from 1966 to 2006 found no significant tobacco-adjusted association between cannabis smoking and lung cancer development despite evidence of precancerous histopathologic changes of the respiratory mucosa.

Delivery of cold dry gas is irritating to the respiratory mucosa, can cause drying and bleeding of the nasal mucosa, trigger bronchospasm in asthmatics, and can increase metabolic demand by cooling the body.

When coal dust is inhaled, particles are cleared by the cilia of the respiratory mucosa into the pharynx, where they are swallowed thereby exposing the upper gastrointestinal mucosa to these compounds contained in the dust.

It has pneumococcal surface proteins that inhibit complement-mediated opsonization, and it secretes IgA1 protease that will destroy secretory IgA produced by the body and mediates its attachment to respiratory mucosa.

Heat and exchange moisturizers (HME) are devices used in mechanically ventilated patients intended to help prevent complications due to "drying of the respiratory mucosa, such as mucus plugging and endotracheal tube (ETT) occlusion."