Ciliary beat frequency of biopsy samples taken from normal persons and patients with various lung diseases

Ciliary beat frequency from human tracheobronchial mucosa was measured in vitro. Biopsy samples were taken during bronchoscopy and beat frequency measured with a phase contrast microscope and a photosensitive cell. In 20 healthy volunteers the mean ciliary beat frequency in the trachea was 12.5 +/- 2.8 Hz at 37 degrees C with a wide interindividual range (4.9 to 17.4 Hz), but a good intraindividual reproducibility (+/- 7 percent). There was a slight increase in frequency down the tracheobronchial tree and a decrease at lower temperatures. With some exceptions, no disease-specific correlation in beat frequency seems to exist in different bacterial and malignant bronchopulmonary conditions. However the quantity and quality of ciliated cells brushed from the mucosa does appear to be disease-related.