Cell renewal in the eustachian tube epithelium of guinea pigs.
The turnover time of the epithelial cells of a normal eustachian tube was estimated in guinea pigs by means of lightmicroscopic autoradiography with thymidine-H3. The cell migration from the basal layer to the tubal lumen was chased by sacrificing the animals at different intervals after tnymidine-H administration. This study revealed that the generative cells were the basal cells in the tubal epithelium and that the different types of maturative cells in the epithelium have a different life span. The turnover time of non-ciliated secretory cells was about 145 hrs (about 6 days), while that of ciliated cells and goblet cells more than 6 days.
D000818:Animals; D001345:Autoradiography; D002464:Cell Migration Inhibition; D004847:Epithelial Cells; D004848:Epithelium / Q000502:physiology; D005064:Eustachian Tube / Q000166:cytology* / Q000502:physiology; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D012038:Regeneration; D013997:Time Factors