Effects of cystic fibrosis serum and cell culture medium on the mucociliary activity of the respiratory tract. An in vitro study in rabbits.

As previously reported a cystic fibrosis factor (CFF) is associated with the dyskinetic ciliary motion induced by serum and cell culture medium from patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). In this study a sensitive, standardization method, for the photoelectric recording of mucociliary activity was used to examine the effect of sera and media from cell cultures taken from patients with CF and healthy controls, on the mucociliary activity of rabbit trachea in vitro. No signs of decreased mucociliary activity were observed and electron microscopy showed normal ultrastructure and orientation of cilia.