On the mechanics of mucociliary flows I. Observations of a channel model¹

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Winet, H.^a | Blake, J.R.^b

Affiliations: [a] Department of Physiology and School of Medicine, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL 62901 & California Institute of Technology | [b] CSIRO Division of Mathematics and Statistics, P.O. Box 1965, Canberra City A.C.T., Australia, 2601

Note: [1] Third International Congress of Biorheology. Symposium on Muco-Ciliary Transport

Note: [] Accepted by: Guest Editors T.Y. Wu and S. Berger

Abstract: Cilia-generated fluid flow between two strips of frog palate epithelium has been measured and flow velocity profiles have been obtained from the data. The strips are mounted in a covered chamber so as to form a ciliated channel and fluid motion is marked by suspended 1.0 μm polystyrene latex spheres which act as tracers. Results from a control non-mucus system and a 40% – 50% v/v mucus system are compared with predictions of a theoretical model. This theory for flow in mucociliated channels incorporates flow due to a static pressure drop between the channel ends and a difference in the cilia tip speeds between the two strips.

DOI: 10.3233/BIR-1980-171-215

Journal: Biorheology, vol. 17, no. 1-2, pp. 135-150, 1980