Acetylcholine: its significance in controlling ciliary activity of human respiratory epithelium in vitro

¹ Department of Anesthesiology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas

Explants of human respiratory ciliated epithelium cultured in a plasma clot tend to round up and to form rotating globes which can be employed in perfusion chambers for the study of the effect of various chemicals on ciliary activity. Perfusion of acetylcholine chloride solutions at 0.1–1.0% concentration invariably increased rotatory movement of the cell cluster. Bathing the epithelial explant in 0.05–0.1% eserine salicylate solutions, prior to the perfusion with acetylcholine chloride, markedly enhanced the acetylcholine effect on ciliary activity. Perfusion of atropine sulfate solutions at concentrations of 0.1% and stronger resulted in a short-lasting stimulatory effect, followed by progressive reduction of rotatory motion. The depressant action of atropine sulfate was counteracted by acetylcholine chloride at 0.5% concentration. The behavior of the various substances investigated appears to be consistent with the assumption that acetylcholine plays the key role in initiating and maintaining the contractile mechanism of ciliary motion.

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