Work

Cilia and Mucociliary Clearance

Year: 2016

Type: preprint

Abstract: Mucociliary clearance (MCC) is the primary innate defense mechanism of the lung. The functional components are the protective mucous layer, the airway surface liquid layer, and the cilia on the surface of ciliated cells. The cilia are specialized organelles that beat in metachronal waves to propel pathogens and inhaled particles trapped in the mucous layer out of the airways. In health this clearance mechanism is effective, but in patients with primary cilia dyskinesia (PCD) the cilia are abnormal, resulting in deficient MCC and chronic lung disease. This demonstrates the critical importance of the cilia for human health. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge of the components of the MCC apparatus, focusing on the role of cilia in MCC.

Source: Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Biology

DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a028241

Authors: Ximena M. Bustamante-Marin, Lawrence E. Ostrowski

Institution: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Language: English

Topic: Cystic Fibrosis Research Advances

Subfield: Pulmonary and Respiratory Medicine

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: bronze

Funders: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases