beta-Adrenergic stimulation of respiratory ciliary activity

We investigated the effect of isoproterenol on ciliary activity using a mucus-free preparation of cultured ciliated cells of the rabbit trachea. The frequency of ciliary beating was monitored by dynamic laser-scattering spectroscopy. The results demonstrated that isoproterenol directly stimulates the activity of ciliated cells of the respiratory epithelium and that this effect is beta-adrenergic specific inasmuch as the observed stimulation can be blocked by propranolol.