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Scanning electron microscopy findings of human respiratory cilia in chronic sinusitis and in recurrent respiratory infections

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 June 2007

Elina Toskala ,
Juhani Nuutinen  and
Markus Rautiainen
Elina Toskala*
Affiliation:
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Kuopio University Hospital, SF-70211 Kuopio
Juhani Nuutinen
Affiliation:
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Kuopio University Hospital, SF-70211 Kuopio
Markus Rautiainen
Affiliation:
Departments of Clinical Medicine and Otorhinolaryngology, Tampere University Hospital, SF-33101 Tampere, Finland.
*
Address for correspondence: Dr Elina Toskala, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Kuopio, PO Box 1627, 70211 Kuopio, Finland. Fax: +358 71 172509
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Abstract

Acute and chronic infections cause morphological changes in the respiratory mucosa. The ultrastructure of human respiratory mucosa was studied by scanning electron microscopy from the maxillary sinuses of 28 patients, with chronic sinusitis, from middle turbinates of 60 patients, with recurrent respiratory infections, and from healthy sphenoidal sinuses of 31 patients. A loss of ciliated cells and an increasing number of nonciliated columnar cells with microvilli were seen in 62 per cent of the maxillary sinus mucosa. Ciliary disorientation was seen in 81 per cent of the chronically infected sinus mucosa and eight per cent in the healthy sphenoidal sinuses. Also metaplasia and extrusion of epithelial cells were prominent in chronic infections. Compound cilia were seen in 52 per cent of the samples from patients with chronic sinusitis and in 31 per cent of the healthy sphenoidal sinuses. Short cilia were often seen in infected mucosa indicating ciliogenesis.

Keywords

CiliaEpithelium, respiratoryMicroscopy, electron, scanningSinusitis
Type
Main Articles
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 109 , Issue 6 , June 1995 , pp. 509 - 514
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 1995

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