COORDINATION OF CILIARY MOVEMENT IN BRONCHIAL EPITHELIUM OF RAT

Observing the bronchial epithelium through its basement membrane with the help of a surface illuminating microscope at magnifications above 150X, the ciliated cells appeared as polygonal or rectangular bright spots on a dark background containing the non-ciliated elements. During the activity, groups of different numbers of ciliated cells beat in coordinated manner. In each group the ciliated cells beat in the direction parallel to that of the effective stroke metachronously, and in the right angle to this direction synchronously. The metachronal coordination was only observed if there were no inactive zones between the corresponding ciliated cells, and when they appeared one above the other. In some cases the coordination seemed to be the consequence of a synchronization process. The membrane potential of the cells of the bronchial epithelium was measured, using intracellular microelectrodes. No oscillations of the membrane potential were recorded. The results suggest that the mechanical interference between the cilia is the most probable mechanism of the pluricellular coordination in the bronchial epithelium. © 1969 Springer-Verlag.