Influence of the central nervous system on fetal lung development. Experimental study.
Upper cervical cord injury was produced in fetal rabbits at 22-26 days' gestation. In 11 setuses with severe cord injury delivered at 28-29 days' gestation there was a median reduction in lung weight (expressed as a proportion of body weight) of 43% and a median reduction in estimated total lung DNA of 16% in comparison with paired operated littermates with intact cords. The hypoplastic lungs showed collapse on histology; if cord damage had been inflicted before 24 days' gestation there was retarded maturation. We conclude that the central nervous system plays a vital role in fetal lung growth and maturation, probably by maintenance of fetal respiratory movements.
D000818:Animals; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D008168:Lung / Q000032:analysis / Q000196:embryology*; D009929:Organ Size; D011247:Pregnancy; D011817:Rabbits; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000196:embryology / Q000502:physiology*
D004247:DNA