Cortisol-induced accumulation of phospholipids in organ culture of human fetal lung.
Lungs obtained from human fetuses with a gestational age of 17, 19, and 24 weeks were cultured as organ culture for 6 days with or without cortisol. The total phospholipid content per milligram protein in the explants incubated with cortisol increased by 56-81 per cent compared with the controls. Lecithin accounted for 62-69 per cent of the phospholipid increment in the cortisol-treated explants, whereas only 44.2 per cent of the total phospholipids in the control incubations consisted of lecithin. Cortisol increased the incorporation of [Me-3H]choline into lecithin by 118-224 per cent. The investigation shows that the human fetal lung, quite early in gestation, is capable of responding to the action of glucocorticoids by accumulating phospholipids.
D002794:Choline / Q000378:metabolism; D005333:Fetus / Q000378:metabolism*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008168:Lung / Q000196:embryology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines / Q000378:metabolism; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000378:metabolism*; D013268:Stimulation, Chemical
D010713:Phosphatidylcholines; D010743:Phospholipids; D002794:Choline; D006854:Hydrocortisone