Qishun Tang – PhD Defense: Structure and rheological properties of airway mucus

Join us on Zoom for Qishun Tang’s PhD Defense. Qishun Tang will be presenting “Structure and rheological properties of airway mucus.”

Abstract: Mucus is a human secretion in the linings of the respiratory, digestive, and urogenital systems and serves to protect epithelial cells as the first–line protection and provide lubrication. In the respiratory system, mucus protects epithelial cells by trapping the inhaled pathological particles and the mucus is propelled by the beating cilia underneath the mucus layer (mucociliary clearance) or by cough (cough clearance). Both clearance mechanisms are strongly dependent on the mucus rheological properties.

For many years, the mucus layer is modeled as a homogeneous gel–like layer. This model is proposed based on mucus macrorheological data and the observation that the mucus can be transported vertically against gravity. However, this “homogeneous gel–like” model fails to explain the failure to observe the mucus recoil during the cilia recovery cycle. Instead, the mucus is transported as a uniform sheet, propelled by the cilia beating.

We proposed a model of the heterogeneous mucus layer with both a thin and solid skin at the interface of the mucus and a fluid bulk. Our “solid interface and fluid bulk” model explains for the first time how the mucus is transported by the cyclic beating of the cilia while moving uniformly even against gravity.

To register, please contact Melissa Gammon at mkgammon@email.UNC.edu.