Polarization and fluorescent microscopy--simple methods for demonstrating pulmonary surfactant lipids.
Birefringence and fluorochrome lipid staining with benzpyrene are demonstrated as simple morphological methods to reveal the presence or absence of surfactant lipids in human newborn lung tissue. Lack of lipid birefringence proves to be an associated finding in the lungs of premature infants with hyaline membrane disease, indicating the possible pathogenetical importance of surfactant deficiency.
D001580:Benzopyrenes; D001718:Birefringence; D006801:Humans; D006819:Hyaline Membrane Disease / Q000378:metabolism; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D008055:Lipids / Q000032:analysis*; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D008859:Microscopy, Polarization; D011663:Pulmonary Surfactants / Q000032:analysis*; D013194:Staining and Labeling
D001580:Benzopyrenes; D008055:Lipids; D011663:Pulmonary Surfactants