Ciliary activity in the in vitro tubotympanum.

We have introduced a tissue culture technique in which the ciliary activity of the cultured tubotympanum can be studied. We have found that ciliated cells of the eustachian tube and middle ear lining continued a beating activity during 168 h of observation. The mean loss of activity of the ciliated cells from the eustachian tube or mucosal sites proximal to the tube was 20% or less, while that of mucosal sites distal to the tube was about 40% even after 168 h of cultivation in our culture medium of RPMI 1640. Our technique of tissue culture is available for studying the long-term effects of various therapeutic agents or adverse factors on the ciliary activity in the tubotympanum.