Validation of Animal Experiments on Ciliary Function In Vitro. I. The Influence of Substances Used Clinically

• Published in: Acta oto-laryngologica Vol. 119; no. 1; pp. 93 - 97
• Main Authors: BOEK, W. M, ROMEIJN, S. G, GRAAMANS, K, VERHOEF, J. C, MERKUS, F. W. H. M, HUIZING, E. H
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Stockholm Informa UK Ltd 1999; Taylor & Francis; Taylor and Francis
• Subjects: Adrenergic beta-Antagonists - pharmacology; Anesthetics, Local - pharmacology; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Chick Embryo; Cocaine - pharmacology; Cryopreservation; Humans; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Imidazoles - pharmacology; Lidocaine - pharmacology; Medical sciences; Mucociliary Clearance - drug effects; Mucous Membrane - drug effects; Nasal Decongestants - pharmacology; Oxymetazoline - pharmacology; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Propranolol - pharmacology; Respiratory system; Trachea - drug effects; Embryo; Antiarrhythmic agent; Experimental study; In vitro; β-Adrenergic receptor; Mucociliary transport; Local anesthetic; Vertebrata; Chemotherapy; Treatment; Animal; Nasal decongestant; Chicken; Ciliary activity; Antagonist; Biological effect; Aves; Propranolol; Trachea; Beta blocking agent
• ISSN: 0001-6489; 1651-2251
• DOI: 10.1080/00016489950182016

In vitro studies of ciliary activity require specimens of healthy epithelium in relatively large quantities. Since human material is difficult to obtain, fresh chicken trachea samples have frequently been used in function experiments. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether several substances had comparable effects on the ciliary beat frequency (CBF) of chicken trachea and cryopreserved human respiratory epithelium obtained from the sphenoidal sinus. For this study, we used two topical anaesthetics: cocaine (3% and 7%) and lidocaine (2%). These anaesthetic substances were adjusted to pH 6 and pH 7. We also used two decongestants, namely xylometazoline 0.1% and oxymetazoline 0.1%, and the beta-blocking agent propranolol. Topical anaesthetics appeared to be more ciliostatic in solutions with pH 7 compared to pH 6. Complete ciliostatic effects were reversible, with the exception of the ciliostasis induced by propranolol. The effects of these substances on the CBF of fresh chicken trachea and cryopreserved human tissue did not differ significantly. These experiments show that chicken trachea constitutes a valid substitute for human material in studying ciliary activity in vitro. Moreover, the experiments provide evidence in support of the assumption that cryopreservation has no effect on ciliary reactivity as expressed by the CBF.