title: Mucus quality on horse tracheal epithelium: microscopic grading based on transparency.
abstract: The aim of this ex-vivo study on excised tracheas of healthy horses was to characterise the microscopic heterogeneity of mucus quality by a visual grading system based on transparency and to determine whether differences in mucus quality, assessed by a visual grading system, influence tracheal mucus velocity (TMV). Small pieces of each trachea were mounted into a humidified chamber under a microscope. Mucus quality was visually subdivided into four grades (MG) and ciliary beat frequency and TMV were determined. Mucus on excised horse tracheal epithelium does not form a homogenous layer. We observed flakes and streams of a great heterogeneity, which by the characteristic of transparency can be qualified and quantified. Visual characterisation of mucus was able to explain a considerable part of TMV variation. Therefore, it can be considered as a suitable non-invasive method for the evaluation of mucus quality and transport effectiveness.
authors.affiliation: Horse clinic, Animal Hospital, University of Berne, Switzerland. vgerber@itz.unibe.ch
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gerber
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gehr
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Straub
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Frenz
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: King
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Im Hof
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004848:Epithelium / Q000502:physiology; D006736:Horses / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology; D018715:Microscopy, Video; D009079:Mucociliary Clearance / Q000502:physiology*; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000502:physiology; D009093:Mucus / Q000502:physiology*; D014132:Trachea / Q000502:physiology*