Factors affecting ciliary function in vitro: a preliminary study.

Nasal ciliary function forms an important defence mechanism within the upper respiratory tract which has largely been ignored in recent years. The effects of various drugs used extensively in the treatment of diseases of the nose have not been fully established. Furthermore, the physiological control of ciliary activity is unclear. The aim of this study was therefore to investigate the effects of drugs on ciliary beat frequency in vitro using a photometric technique. A dose-dependent response to alpha and beta receptor drugs was found, cocaine hydrochloride achieved ciliostasis even at 40-fold dilution, and potassium ions, except at the limits of tolerance for excitable tissue, did not affect ciliary function. In conclusion, we suggest that alpha and beta receptors may be present on ciliated epithelium and be involved in the control of ciliary function in vivo. Ion fluxes across the ciliary cell membrane may also be important in ciliary activity akin to nervous tissue.