Exposure to hypoxia injures tracheal epithelium (ultrastructural study)

Abstract

The ultrastructure of the tracheal epithelium in rabbits exposed for 96 hours to normobaric hypoxia was studied. In rabbits placed for 96 hours in environment with increased temperature and humidity, the first phase of common response of goblet cells to injury, represented mostly by degeneration of the exhausted cells, was revealed. The decrease in O₂concentration highly accelerated the reaction of the goblet cells. Due to the influence of high temperature, humidity and normobaric hypoxia, the second phase of the goblet cells’ reaction, massive differentiation of new secretory elements accompanied with intraepithelial mucous glands’ development, was recorded. In the ciliated cells, only mild signs of pathological alteration of deeper portions of their cytoplasm were noticed. In the area of the ciliary border, significant decrease in the number of kinocilia/μm2, increase in percentage of altered cilia and morphological signs of impairment of the vital self-cleaning ability were recorded.