Intra‐ and Extracellular Activity of Ciliated Cells

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Abstract
A method permitting simultaneous recording in vitro of the intracellular and extracellular (=mucociliary) activity of respiratory ciliated mucous membrane is presented. Using this method the influence of different temperature levels (20°, 30°, 40°C) upon the tracheal mucous membrane of 15 rabbits has been investigated. It is shown 1) that the extracellular (= mucociliary) activity increases with rising temperatures whereas the intracellular activity is unaffected and remains constant, indicating a temperature influence upon the respiratory tract mucus rather than a change of the intracellular “pace‐maker” mechanism; 21 that the restraining effect of the mucus decreases with rising temperatures but is still 10% of the intracellular frequency at body temperature; 3) that the presented method should be useful for future investigations concerning the effect of air‐pollution and pharmacological substances upon respiratory mucous membranes.