Cell distribution in tracheal surface epithelium and the effects of long-term pilocarpine and atropine administration

Cell distribution and the effects of 12 daily injections of 80 mg/kg pilocarpine or 5 mg/kg atropine were studied in rat tracheal epithelium. Ciliated, periodic-acid-Schiff-positive (PAS+), Alcian blue-positive (AB+), nonstaining, and basal cells were counted and their order of occurrence was recorded. Pilocarpine caused a decrease in ciliated and an increase in PAS+, basal, and nonstaining cell numbers. Atropine caused similar changes, although to a much lesser extent. AB+ cells were rare. Cell occurrence was randomized by computer, and comparisons with nonrandomized counts were made to discern between 1) differences in cell arrangement owed to variations in cell numbers, and 2) actual biases in cell distribution. In general, ciliated areas amounted to a few cells and were separated by nonciliated patches of comparable size. The grouping characteristics of cells supported the notion that basal cells were surrounded by their progeny and that daughter cells were displaced by siblings. It was concluded that the cells were not randomly distributed. Basal cells were dispersed, and probably immediately related to PAS+ cells but not to ciliated cells. A bias toward grouping implied concurrent differentiation of clusters of sibling cells. With drug treatment, a substantial increase in PAS+ cells without increase in cell concentration suggested a decrease in ciliated cell differentiation. Larger groups of secretory cells with treatment suggested cell division without differentiation through the basal cell pathway. Cholinergic agents were not the predominant modulators of this epithelium, and their effect was probably secondary to influence over mucociliary function.