Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 10, 2025

Nasal Brushing Sampling and Processing Using Digital High Speed Ciliary Videomicroscopy – Adaptation for the COVID-19 Pandemic
Published on: November 7, 2020
Evidence for secondary ciliary dyskinesia in patients with cystic fibrosis
Romane Bonhiver1, Noemie Bricmont1, Maud Pirotte2
1Pneumology Laboratory, I3 Group, GIGA Research Center, University of Liege, Belgium; Division of Respirology, Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital of Liege, Belgium.
Background:
Mucociliary clearance (MCC) impairment can be due to mucus abnormalities or to a ciliary dysfunction, which can be innate, or secondary to infection and/or inflammation. In cystic fibrosis (CF), it is well documented that MCC is impaired due to mucus abnormalities, but little is known concerning ciliary beating. This study aimed to confirm that ciliary dyskinesia is present in CF, and if this might be innate or secondary to the chronic infection and/or inflammation.
Methods:
Ciliated epithelial samples were obtained by nasal brushing from 51 CF patients, and from 30 healthy subjects. Ciliary beating was evaluated using digital high-speed videomicroscopy at 37 °C, allowing to evaluate ciliary beat frequency (CBF) and the percentage of abnormal beat pattern (CBP); this was repeated after air-liquid interface (ALI) cell culture.
Results:
Ciliary dyskinesia was higher in CF patients than in healthy subjects, with a lower CBF and a higher percentage of abnormal CBP. Ciliary dyskinesia, already present in childhood, normalized after ALI cell culture. A chronic airway colonization did not worsen ciliary dyskinesia.
Conclusions:
We showed that, in CF, a ciliary dyskinesia, present from childhood, might contribute to the impaired MCC. Our results also found that the abnormal ciliary beating was not associated with a chronic infection, and resolved after ALI cell culture, suggesting that ciliary dyskinesia in CF is not innate, and might be secondary to chronic inflammation.
More Related Videos
05:32High-speed Video Microscopy Analysis for First-line Diagnosis of Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia
Published on: January 19, 2022
11:13Collection, Expansion, and Differentiation of Primary Human Nasal Epithelial Cell Models for Quantification of Cilia Beat Frequency
Published on: November 10, 2021
Related Concept Videos
Cystic Fibrosis: Pathogenesis
CF is primarily caused by a genetic mutation in a chromosome 7 gene coding for the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) protein. The most common gene mutation leading to CF is the ΔF508 mutation,...
Cystic Fibrosis: Management
Sinus disease and chronic...
Mechanism of Ciliary Motion
The cilia are made up of microtubules in a 9+2 arrangement, with nine microtubule doublet ring bundles, surrounding a pair of central singlet microtubule bundles. The doublet microtubule bundles are...
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease-IV: Assessement and Diagnostic Studies
Medical History
Microtubules in Signaling
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease-II: Pathophysiology
Chronic Inflammation