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What effect does tar have on the cilia?

April 26, 2017BiologyBiology

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Anonymous Posted

What effect does tar have on the cilia?

3 Answers

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Susan Shirley Posted

Tar coats the cilia making them harden and thus unable to work. Eventually they may break off.

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Vibhor Jain Posted

Tobacco smoke contains tar, a black, sticky substance. This covers the lining of the alveoli and greatly increases the risk of emphysema. The structure of the alveoli breaks down so that there are fewer, larger air sacs. This reduces the surface area available for gaseous exchange and makes sufferers breathless. They may need oxygen and it can be a cause of death.

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Nilima Majji Posted

Cells with tiny hair-like parts, called cilia, normally move the mucus out of the lungs. Hot smoke and tar from smoking damages the cilia. So smokers cough to move the mucus and are more likely to get bronchitis.