Cultivation of ethmoidal sinus ciliated epithelia.

Proceeding from the cultivation of human epidermal cells we succeeded in cultivating mucosal cells from ethmoidal sinuses and in characterizing them by scanning electron microscopy. In particular, the reaction of ciliated cells and goblet cells in vitro and their ability to reproduce were compared with the reaction of keratinocytes. Ethmoidal sinus cells show adhesion and spreading rates similar to those of skin cells; they proliferate faster (3 days up to monolayer) and differentiate in vitro to ciliated epithelia. It would seem possible to use them for lining of plastic prostheses for the respiratory tract.