• 1 January 1982
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 176  (2-3) , 269-276
Abstract
The biological effects of in vitro exposure of cultured fetal hamster tracheal epithelium to benzo[a]pyrene [BaP] in 0.5% dimethylsulfoxide [DMSO] (BaP: 5 and 10 .mu.g/ml medium) were studied by light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The solvent DMSO alone induced a slight, temporary retardation in development and differentiation of cilia. At day 28 of culture, differences in growth and maturity disappeared between DMSO-exposed and untreated explants. No dose-related differences found in the surface morphology of alterations were seen in BaP-treated tracheae; the explants revealed metaplastic foci and reduced, incomplete ciliogenesis compared to DMSO- and nontreated controls. Towards the end of the culture period, ciliogenesis tended slowly to replace epithelial alterations.