Appearance of compound cilia in the nasal mucosa of normal human subjects following acute, in vivo exposure to sulfur dioxide

Journal Article · Sun Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1987 · Environ. Res.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/S0013-9351(87)80017-8· OSTI ID:6515678

Carson, J L; Collier, A M; Hu, S C; Smith, C A; Stewart, P

Electron microscopic examination of ultrathin sections of ciliated nasal epithelium obtained from seven normal, healthy human volunteers indicated increases in the prevalence of compound cilia following controlled, acute exposure to 0.75 ppm sulfur dioxide (SO/sub 2/). Morphometric analyses of the specimens confirmed a statistically significant association between SO/sub 2/ exposure and compounding of nasal epithelial cilia in four of the seven subjects. Concomitant freeze-fracture replicas prepared from these samples also revealed the occurrence of compound cilia with accompanying evidence of abnormal ciliary membrane ultrastructure in the nasal epithelium. These studies indicate that SO/sub 2/ may be implicated as a causative agent in ciliary compounding in the upper respiratory tract and that compound cilia represent a form of acquired ciliary defect which may serve as a readily quantifiable marker of epithelial injury.

• Research Organization: Univ. of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
• OSTI ID: 6515678
• Journal Information: Environ. Res.; (United States), Journal Name: Environ. Res.; (United States) Vol. 42:1; ISSN ENVRA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

560300* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ANIMAL TISSUES
ANIMALS
BODY
CHALCOGENIDES
ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
EPITHELIUM
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
INJURIES
MAMMALS
MAN
MEMBRANES
MICROSCOPY
MORPHOLOGICAL CHANGES
MUCOUS MEMBRANES
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PRIMATES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SULFUR DIOXIDE
SULFUR OXIDES
TISSUES
ULTRASTRUCTURAL CHANGES
VERTEBRATES