Abnormal cilia were demonstrated in the lining epithelial cells of
three cases of intraspinal endodermal (bronchogenic) cyst. The changes
comprised a wide spectrum of ultrastructural abnormalities, including
(a) cilia with abnormal axonemal microtubules, (b) swollen cilia, (c)
compound cilia with or without excessive ciliary matrix, (d) naked
cilia without limiting membrane, and (e) intracytoplasmic cilia and
aggregates of microtubules. Of these, compound cilia and swollen cilia
were most common. Cilia with dynein arm deficiency were not observed.
Ciliary abnormalities found in the present study were very similar to
those described in the bronchial epithelium of various diseases. The
present findings suggest that the lining epithelium of intraspinal
endodermal cyst shares similar ciliogenesis and susceptibility to
abnormal ciliary formation as that of the bronchial epithelium.