Clinical aspects of mucociliary transport.

It has long been believed that the mucociliary apparatus of the airways 
serves to remove inhaled particulate matter from the tracheobronchial mucosa, thereby 
contributing to pulmonary host defense. This review deals mainly with factors 
affecting mucociliary transport that may be of clinical importance. The information 
available at present strongly suggests that mucociliary transport, at least in 
central airways, is impaired in most patients with cystic fibrosis; however, 
it is still unclear whether this disorder is a nonspecific feature 
of the chronic inflammatory airway disease or represents an essential factor 
in the pathogenesis of the pulmonary abnormalities. 