Objectives: Evaluate the age-dependency of ciliary beat frequency (CBF
) in biopsies after ciliogenesis in culture. Study Design: Retrospecti
ve analysis of CBF and ciliary ultrastructure in biopsies and after ci
liogenesis from 203 individuals, aged 3 months to 74 years. Methods: A
ll patients with successful culture were included. Ciliogenesis was ob
tained using the sequential monolayer-suspension culture technique for
dissociated nasal epithelial cells. CBF was measured using computeriz
ed microscope photometry. Secondary ultrastructural abnormalities were
evaluated in transmission electron microscopy. Results: There was no
correlation between age and CBF, in either the biopsies (7.0 +/- 2.6 H
z; n = 113) or after ciliogenesis in culture (8.1 +/- 1.3 Hz; n = 203)
. Even in individuals older than 70 years, CBF was normal in bioptic m
aterial (6.7 +/- 1.7 Hz) and after ciliogenesis in culture (7.9 +/- 1.
0 Hz). Also, in individuals less than 1 year of age CBF was normal in
biopsies as well as after ciliogenesis. CBF correlated inversely with
the percentage of secondary ultrastructural abnormalities in the biops
ies as seen with transmission electron microscopy: 8.1 +/- 1.8 Hz when
ciliary ultrastructure was normal and 3.5 +/- 3.3 Hz in cases of seve
re secondary ciliary dyskinesia, After ciliogenesis in culture, ciliar
y ultrastructure was always normal, as was CBF. Conclusion: CBF is age
independent but correlates with secondary ultrastructural abnormaliti
es, CBF after ciliogenesis in culture is the intrinsic one,