Measurements of nasal transepithelial electric potential differences in normal XXXX subjects in vivo.

@entity1 @entity2379 @entity6478 @entity841 @entity3303
Nasal transepithelial electrical @entity841 ( @entity841 ) was estimated in vivo in normal @entity1 subjects. The @entity841 between a bridge perfused with Ringer's solution placed on the nasal mucosal surface and a reference electrode in a subcutaneous space was recorded. The magnitude of the @entity841 depended upon the region of the nasal cavity touched by the exploring bridge. The @entity841 values ranged from -4 mV (lumen negative) on the anterior tip of the inferior turbinate to approximately -30 mV on the inferior surface of the turbinate. Biopsies of the anterior turbinate were characterized by squamous epithelial cells, whereas ciliated cells dominated the epithelium from regions of higher @entity841 . Epithelial abrasion abolished @entity841 . No differences in @entity841 were noted between the left and right nasal cavities, and repetitive measurements of @entity841 at the same site yielded comparable values. No differences in nasal @entity841 were noted between young male or female subjects but @entity841 declined as a function of age. @entity6478 (10(-4)M) and @entity3303 (10(-1)M) reduced @entity841 (-59% and -30%, respectively), whereas @entity2379 (5 X 10(-5)M) raised @entity841 (+29%). We concluded that nasal @entity841 can be accurately measured in vivo in @entity1 , and that measurements of nasal bioelectric properties may serve as a relatively noninvasive index of respiratory epithelial function.
