Zonation of ciliated cells on the epithelium of the rat trachea

• Tipo: Artigo em Revista Científica Internacional
• Data: 2003

Autores

Maria João R. Oliveira (Autor) ICBAS; António Sousa Pereira (Autor) ICBAS; L. Guimarães (Autor) Outra; N. R. Grande (Autor) Outra; Carlos Sá (Autor) FEUP; Artur Águas (Autor) ICBAS

Revista

Título: Lung

Vol. 181 Nº 5

Páginas: 275-282

ISSN: 0341-2040

Editora: Springer Nature

Indexação

ISI Web of Knowledge - 9 Citações

Scopus - 8 Citações

Outras Informações

ID Authenticus: P-000-FD1

DOI: 10.1007/s00408-003-1030-1

Abstract (EN): We have used scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to screen the entire epithelial surface of the cervical trachea of the adult rat. This scrutiny revealed that the density of ciliated cells along this epithelium follows a repetitive pattern: circular strips of high density of ciliated cells alternate with areas of low density of the same cells. Cilia-poor strips of the tracheal epithelium were seen on areas of cartilage rings; here, ciliated cells made up 32% of the total surface of the tracheal lining. Cilia-rich areas filled the epithelial surface at the tracheal ligaments (i.e., the regions located in-between the rings); here, ciliated cells occupied 65% of the tracheal lumen. In the cilia-poor zones, the density of ciliated cells decreased from its periphery into its center, where cilia were virtually absent. No differences in this pattern of the tracheal epithelium were seen between young adult and older rats. We conclude that the respiratory epithelium expresses density zonation of ciliated cells on the trachea of adult rats. We propose that the high concentration of ciliated cells on the regions of epithelium located at the tracheal ligaments suggests that these zones are electively committed in the clearance of the respiratory airway.

Idioma: Inglês

Tipo (Avaliação Docente): Científica

Nº de páginas: 8