Ultrastructural observations on basal apparatus of respiratory cilia in immotile cilia syndrome.

The fine structure of the basal apparatus of cilia from respiratory epithelium has been studied in 5 subjects with immotile cilia syndrome without any specific defects in ciliary morphology. The ultrastructural analysis revealed the presence of abnormalities, heretofore undescribed, in basal bodies and accessory structures. In particular defective basal bodies of the so-called "half centriole" type, abnormal basal bodies showing an unusual dense granule in their central part, as well as abnormal accessory structures (i.e., giant striated roots, and double basal foot arising from single basal bodies) were found to be variously distributed in the patients examined. The significance of these morphological changes is discussed.