THE MORPHOLOGICAL SUBSTRATE OF AUTONOMIC REGULATION OF THE BRONCHIAL EPITHELIUM

Observations of explanted bronchial mucosa show that ciliary function is maintained for 7 days subsequent to explantation. This finding demo nstrates that non-neural mechanisms exist which regulate ciliary funct ion. Ultrastructural and immunohistochemical studies both for light an d electron microscopy were performed on human bronchial biopsy materia l and lung resection specimens in order to recognize the morphological substrate of this regulatory mechanism. A complex system of cytokerat in filaments and microtubules radiate through the whole cytoplasm of c iliated cells with direct contact to the nucleus, cilia, microvilli, d esmosomes and to the apical terminal adhesive complex. Between the bas al bodies and the apical terminal adhesive complex microfilaments can be found. In the apical cytoplasm a dense filamentary network is seen in association with the adhesive complex. These morphological findings indicate that the cytoskeleton of the bronchial epithelium plays a ke y role in the co-ordination of ciliary function.