Ultrastructural changes in the cilia of experimental mice

Mice lacking dynein arms in the cilia were examined; the strain was obtained by inactivation of dynein heavy chain gene in chromosome 7. The cilia of these mice were examined by electron microscopy and compared to the cilia of random-bred mice. No statistically significant differences or typical disorders in the outer or inner dynein arms were detected. The number of inner dynein arms was lower, in some cilia secondary changes presenting as swelling of the outer part of the ciliary membrane or formation of complex cilia were seen.