IF stainings of peripheral IPF lung tissue, confirmed the presence of KRT5+/KRT17+basal-, AcTub+ciliated- and SCGB1A1+, MUC5B+ and MUC5AC+secretory, and MMP7+epithelial cells within HC in the IPF lung. Here, MUC5B is linked to idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.