COMPARISON OF THE EFFECT OF A HIGH AND LOW-DOSE OF ATROPIN ON THE ULTRASTRUCTURE OF THE TRACHEAL EPITHELIUM

The ultrastructure of rabbit tracheal epithelium was studied 20 min af ter injection of 0.04 and 0.5 mg of atropin. The tracheae were lined w ith altered ciliated pseudostratified columnar epithelium. The degree of damage to the epithelial cells was dose dependent. The injury to th e tracheal epithelium due to treatment with 0.04 mg of atropin was con sidered mild. The administration of the higher dose of atropin caused moderately severe epithelial damage. Both experimental groups exhibite d morphological signs of impaired self-cleaning ability.