The effect of intrauterine phrenic nerve division on the development of the lungs and diaphragm in fetal rabbits.
Intrauterine division of the left phrenic nerve has been successfully performed in rabbit fetuses as early as the 21st day of gestation, prior to alveolar differentiation. This procedure results in intrauterine atrophy of the ipsilateral hemidiaphragm and hypertrophy of the contralateral side. Light and electron microscopic studies have shown no interference with the subsequent maturation of the lung.
D000818:Animals; D001284:Atrophy / Q000473:pathology; D003714:Denervation; D003964:Diaphragm / Q000196:embryology* / Q000294:innervation / Q000473:pathology; D005333:Fetus / Q000601:surgery; D006984:Hypertrophy / Q000473:pathology; D008168:Lung / Q000196:embryology*; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D010791:Phrenic Nerve / Q000502:physiology*; D011817:Rabbits