FIBER OPTIC LASER DOPPLER SYSTEM FOR CILIARY MOTILITY

Biotechplex Corporation, San Marcos CA

Investigators

Abstract

LiDon Technologies (LiDon) proposes to develop a system to measure, in the human tracheal and bronchial airways as well as in the paranasal sinuses, two fundamental parameters of ciliary activity governing effective mucociliary transport, namely, ciliary beat frequency (CBF) and metachronal wave period (MWP). The Fiber Optics Laser Doppler System (FOLDS) sensing probe will be inserted through the sampling channel of a fiber optic bronchoscope. Through the incorporation of novel technologies LiDon will produce the first commercially available system to make these measurements in vivo. LiDon will undertake the R & D necessary to launch 3 versions of the FOLDS system. FOLDS -1: An in vitro system designed to make realtime data collection of CBF and MWP in cultures and in native epithelia. FOLDS -2: An in vivo system designed to make realtime measurements of CBF and MWP in the trachea and bronchial airways to 3 mm diameter in small and large animals. FOLDS -3: An in vivo system designed to make realtime measurements of CBF and MWP in the upper and lower human respiratory tract. The FOLDS, being an enabling technology, will facilitate the quantitative assessment of ciliary activity in cells, tissues, animals and humans for toxicological studies, pharmacology research, pulmonary drug discovery, and clinical diagnosis and therapeutic treatment. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATION: This system will be used in nasal and lung diseases that exhibit impairment of mucociliary transport. The system is also applicable to assess most types of biological motilities, velocity flow profile of fluids and well as remote measurements of physical vibrations.