Direct measurement of the velocity of the metachronal wave in beating cilia

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Priel, Zvi

Affiliations: Department of Chemistry, Ben-Gurion University, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel

Note: [] Accepted by: Editor P. Verdugo

Abstract: Recently a computerized electro-optical method was developed which enables one to simultaneously measure the frequency and the wavelength of the metachronal waves in beating cilia. The method is based on measurement of scattered light from two areas at a given distance apart. The distance between measured areas can be varied from zero to hundreds of microns. The relative ease of the measurement and data analysis of this method enable one to create large statistical ensembles in order to obtain reliable averages. In this work we show that in addition to the previously mentioned parameters this system can measure directly the velocity of the metachronal wave. It was found that the average velocity in the tissue culture from frog’s palate epithelium at room temperature is ∼ 270 μm/sec, about twice the average particle velocity at the frog’s palate.

Keywords: muco-ciliary transport, metachronal wavelength, metachronal velocity

DOI: 10.3233/BIR-1987-24612

Journal: Biorheology, vol. 24, no. 6, pp. 599-603, 1987