Goblet cell metaplasia in the peripheral lung tissue of rats after chronic exposure to particles

A long-term inhalation study and an instillation study were conducted to examine the pulmonary toxicity and carcinogenicity of diesel soot and diesel exhaust in female Wistar rats. In these studies, goblet cell metaplasia occured in the peripheral lung tissue. Goblet cell metaplasias have been reported in pulmonary airways of humans and hamsters. A short description of goblet cell metaplasia in the peripheral lung tissue of rats was given by Boorman and Eustis (1990). Goblet cell metaplasia is now included among the proliferative lesions described in the International Classification of Rodent Tumors published by WHO/IARC (1992).