The Journal of General Physiology
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The Journal of General Physiology, Vol 42, 959-969, Copyright © 1959 by The Rockefeller University Press

ARTICLE

PARAMETERS OF GASEOUS ION EFFECTS ON THE MAMMALIAN TRACHEA

A. DURATION OF EFFECTS B. MINIMAL EFFECTIVE ION DENSITIES



Albert P. Krueger 1 and Richard F. Smith 1

1 From the Department of Bacteriology and the Naval Biological Laboratory-Naval Medical Research Unit No. 1, University of California, Berkeley

A. Duration of Effects

Groups of mice exposed to high densities of unipolar light air ions for 72 hours exhibited persistent alterations in the functional efficiency of their tracheas. These effects lasted at least 4 weeks, and in the case of animals treated with (+) ions included diminished ciliary activity, pale and contracted tracheal mucosa, and enhanced vulnerability to trauma.

Following treatment with (-) ions, animals displayed increased ciliary activity with no other detectable changes. It required at least 60 minutes of exposure to ions to induce such "permanent" functional changes.

B. Minimal Effective Ion Densities

The minimal ion densities producing changes in ciliary activity within an arbitrary period of 30 minutes were determined with extirpated tracheal strips from rabbits and guinea pigs. The threshold value for (-) ions was approximately 2.5 x 103 ions/cm.2/sec. and that for (+) ions was in the range between 1 x 104 and 2.5 x 105 ions/cm.2/sec.

The minimal ion densities producing changes in ciliary activity within an arbitrary period of 30 minutes were determined with extirpated tracheal strips from rabbits and guinea pigs. The threshold value for (-) ions was approximately 2.5 x 103 ions/cm.2/sec. and that for (+) ions was in the range between 1 x 104 and 2.5 x 105 ions/cm.2/sec.

The evidence indicates that ion-induced functional changes in the ciliated epithelium of the pulmonary tree are the results of direct contact of ions with surface cells and do not involve participation of the central nervous system or circulation. So far as ciliary activity is concerned, the number of ions required to produce a change in rate is very small.

Submitted on October 17, 1958


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A. Krueger and E. Reed
Biological impact of small air ions
Science, September 24, 1976; 193(4259): 1209 - 1213.
[Abstract] [PDF]


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