US EPA

7458 

Journal Article 

Characterization of physical, chemical and biological properties of mucus in the intact animal 

Carson, S; Goldhamer, R; Weinberg, MS 

1966 

Yes 

Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences
ISSN: 0077-8923
EISSN: 1749-6632 

130 

935-943 

10.1111/j.1749-6632.1966.tb12637.x 

This paper deals with a series of studies on the mucoid layer of the upper
respiratory tract, a highly integrated complex system of mucus and cilia, which
affords protection to the organism in its intimate contact with the physical
environment. These studies indicate that this protective action results from
a number of independently operating factors. These control the flow of the
mucoid layer, overlaying what appears to be a simply oriented ciliary tissue and the cephalad motion which causes clearing or removal of impinged foreign materials from the trachea and bronchi. Critical qualitative differences of the two major components of the mucociliary system to irritant exposures have been established in the course of these studies, leading to a better understanding of the wide range of responses of this protective system. The flow of the mucus layer has been shown to change under the influence of
external conditions, without apparent cellular, neurologic, or endocrine involvement (Kensler & Battista, 1963; Bernfeld & Hornburger, 1964; Wynder &
Hoffman, 1962). The basic pattern of this flow may be considered to be characteristic of the internal macromolecular structure and of intermolecular forces. Experimentally observed changes may be explained on the basis of known principles governing non-Newtonian flow; these principles, as considered here, are phenomenologic rather than theoretical. They have been used, however, as an empirical basis for extensive biological and physical appraisals, currently in progress.