title: Ultrastructural and freeze fracture cilia morphology of trachea epithelium in apparently healthy small ruminants.
abstract: Specimens of tracheal mucosa were obtained from ten adult apparently healthy small ruminants (five goats and five sheep) both by a fibre optic endoscope and in a slaughterhouse. Ultrastructurally, a total of 50,000 cilia were examined. Pathological cilia were found in all examined subjects. The prevalence of compound cilia showed a range of 0.3% to 3%. Intracytoplasmic and swollen cilia ranged from 0.2% to 0.5%. The microtubular pattern was examined in 4,000 cross-sectioned cilia and an abnormal pattern was found in 5-7%. Microtubular defects involved both peripheral and central doublets, being peripheral abnormalities the prevailing ones. A central plug of electron dense material was observed in 2-3% of the examined basal bodies. Rare basal bodies characterized by an abnormal spatial configuration were also shown. Freeze fracture studies revealed a ciliary necklace composed of 4 to 5 rows of intramembrane particles.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Pathology, Federico II University, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Roperto
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Langella
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Oliva
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Restucci
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Varricchio
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dallai
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002923:Cilia / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D004848:Epithelium / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005614:Freeze Fracturing; D006041:Goats / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000648:ultrastructure; D012756:Sheep / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D014132:Trachea / Q000648:ultrastructure*