THE ROLE OF RHEOLOGICAL PROPERTIES IN MUCOCILIARY TRANSPORT BY FROG PALATE CILIATED MODEL

The effect of viscoelastic properties on mucociliary transport rate wa s investigated using the frog palate ciliated model. Mucociliary trans portability of several hydrophilic polymeric gels with widely differen t viscoelastic characteristics were tested on the frog palate mucocili ary model. An apparent negative relationship is observed between the r elative transport rate (TR) and storage (G(1)) or loss (G(2)) modulus. However, a minimum in relative transport rate is observed at an appar ent loss tangent (tan delta) value of between 0.7 and 0.9. A theoretic al model for mucociliary transport is presented. The model predicted a minimum in transport rate at tan delta equal to 1.74 after adjustment for primary variation due to storage modulus (G(1)), which is in agre ement with the observed frog palate transport rate. The model isolates the loss tangent (tan delta) and the magnitude of the complex modulus (\G\) as the important viscoelastic parameters for mucociliary trans port. Optimum theological characteristics with respect to slow transpo rt rate can be achieved by using hydrophilic polymer gels with a large complex modulus and simultaneously with a loss tangent equal to 1.74.