Cilia

Cilia are the microscopic hairs which beat in the airways to sweep secretions out of the respiratory tract. In people with P.C.D. the structure of the cilia may be abnormal, appear to structurally normal but do not function properly, or cilia may not develop at all. All abnormalities have the same end result, a predisposition to infections in the lungs, sinuses and ears, because secretions tend to sit in the airways rather than being cleared by the normal action of the cilia.

As the tail of the sperm is almost identical to the cilia, because of reduced motility, some males are subfertile. However, the sperm of some males with P.C.D. may be unaffected. Female reproductive function may also be affected because the Fallopian tubes are lined by cilia, however several female adults with P.C.D. in the Family Support Group have produced children over the last few years, with and without techniques to assist conception.

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