Preparing anatomy view...

3D interactive journey

Explore how cilia keep the body working

Follow the story from whole body anatomy to microscopic cilia, mucus movement, symptoms, and care education.

Current lesson

Start with the Body

Use the transparent body to orient the nose and sinuses, ears, trachea, bronchi, lungs, and airway slice before zooming in.

This site is for educational purposes only. It does not diagnose, treat, or replace care from a licensed medical professional. Always follow guidance from your medical team.

Knowledge library

PCD body of knowledge

Start Here

What Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia means

PCD is a genetic condition that affects motile cilia, tiny moving structures that help clear mucus and fluids.

PCD is usually inherited and often needs lifelong monitoring.
The most visible pattern is reduced mucus clearance in the airways, nose, sinuses, and ears.
The condition is managed with education, routines, and specialist follow-up rather than a single cure.

Anatomy

Mucociliary clearance

Mucociliary clearance is the airway self-cleaning system that moves mucus upward and out.

Cilia beat in coordinated waves along ciliated surfaces.
Mucus traps dust, germs, and particles.
When the system slows, mucus may pool and contribute to infection or inflammation.

Body Systems

Situs inversus and laterality

Some people with PCD have mirrored or mixed organ placement because early embryo cilia help set left-right patterning.

Situs inversus totalis means a mirror-image layout.
Heterotaxy means a more mixed arrangement and may require more evaluation.
Organ placement is a related development topic, not a sign that the lung symptoms are fake or unrelated.

PCD clinical overview

Care

Daily care rhythm

Families often work with clinicians to build airway clearance into predictable daily routines.

Airway clearance may be paired with nebulized therapy when prescribed.
Suctioning, positioning, and comfort routines should be age-appropriate and clinician-guided.
Written sick-day plans help families know when to call the care team.

Open care guide

Safety

When symptoms need urgent attention

Families should follow their care team's written plan and seek urgent help for severe breathing or neurologic warning signs.

Bluish or gray color, severe retractions, grunting, apnea, or limpness need urgent medical attention.
Infants with fever or unusual sleepiness should be handled according to the clinician's plan.
This app is not a triage tool; it helps organize questions and education.

Doctor questions

Microscopic View

Examples of abnormal cilia motion in PCD

PCD can affect how cilia move, but not every person has the same motion pattern.

Examples include weak beating, stiff movement, chaotic movement, or very little visible movement.
The app uses these as teaching patterns so families can compare mucus movement in real time.
A specialist team uses clinical history and diagnostic testing; this animation is educational only.

3D Anatomy

What the anatomy view includes

The scene combines reviewed NIH 3D respiratory assets with a custom live mucus and cilia simulation.

Visible layers include a BodyParts3D-derived transparent skin shell, NIH upper-airway/sinus anatomy, NIH trachea/bronchi/lung anatomy, middle-ear/eustachian concept, nasal clearance comparison, airway wall, mucus, and cilia.
The open body shell improves whole-body orientation while the NIH models remain the main respiratory anatomy references.
The nasal comparison and airway cross-section remain procedural so the mucus, particles, and cilia behavior can animate live.

Resources

PCD specialist centers and community

PCD-experienced teams and family communities can help with diagnosis, airway clearance, ENT care, genetics, and equipment questions.

Ask whether care is connected to a PCD Foundation-accredited center or an experienced pediatric pulmonology team.
ENT, audiology, genetics, respiratory therapy, and nutrition may all matter over time.
Community groups can help families learn practical routines while medical decisions stay with clinicians.

PCD Foundation Find a center

Safety language

This site is for educational purposes only. It does not diagnose, treat, or replace care from a licensed medical professional. Always follow guidance from your medical team.

Sources and anatomy references

NHLBI: Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia overview NHLBI: PCD symptoms MedlinePlus Genetics: Primary ciliary dyskinesia PCD Foundation: What is PCD?ATS clinical practice guideline, 2018 NIH 3D: Upper Respiratory Airways Cast NIH 3D: Respiratory System, Visible Human Male NIH 3D: downloaded model files and license context BodyParts3D archive: open adult human whole-body model BodyParts3D mirror: FMA7163 skin source mesh

Question builder

Pulmonology visit

- Are we connected with a PCD-experienced center?
- What airway-clearance routine is appropriate for the patient's age?
- What is the written sick-day plan?
- What symptoms should trigger same-day contact?

ENT and hearing

- Should we schedule audiology monitoring?
- How are middle-ear fluid and sinus symptoms being tracked?
- What are the pros and cons of each ENT option in PCD?

Genetics and family

- Has the PCD-causing variant been identified?
- Should siblings or parents have genetic counseling?
- Does the genotype change monitoring or prognosis?

01 / 06 guided tour

Start with the Body

Find the nose, ears, airway, and lungs first.

Use the transparent body to orient the nose and sinuses, ears, trachea, bronchi, lungs, and airway slice before zooming in.

This site is for educational purposes only. It does not diagnose, treat, or replace care from a licensed medical professional. Always follow guidance from your medical team.