Abnormal length of respiratory cilia in a pig. An ultrastructural study
Roperto, F.; Rossacco, P.; Tartaro, A.; Galati, P.
Journal of Submicroscopic Cytology and Pathology 26(1): 75-78
1994
ISSN/ISBN: 1122-9497 PMID: 8149335 Document Number: 438604
The authors report the first case of abnormal length of respiratory cilia in a domestic animal (18 microns versus normal length about 5 microns). These cilia lie on the carpet of cilia of normal length. The width of some of these cilia is also abnormal, measuring 0.5-0.6 microns. Other cilia have hook-shaped tips that could be responsible for an effective beat. We suggest that the ineffective ciliary beat could also be due to the undulating movements of abnormally long cilia, and stress the need for further morphological and biochemical studies of respiratory cilia in pigs. Respiratory pathology is a very common finding in pigs and is responsible for remarkable economical losses.