The movements of cilia in respiratory epithelium are strictly ordered. In each cell, the cilia perform individual phases of movement metachronously – in turn. In neighboring cells, cilia movements are synchronized – they are in the same phase of movement. Together, this contributes to the movement of mucus along the surface of epithelial layer and provides mucociliary clearance – the process of clearing the airways from microorganisms adsorbed on mucus, dust particles, squamous cells (seen above the moving cilia).
The velocity of mucus movement in airways (from bronchi to oropharynx) approx. 0.5 mm/sec. Disorder of mucociliary clearance plays an essential role in the pathogenesis of bronchopulmonary diseases.
Motility of respiratory cilia