title: Effect of colchicine and pilocarpine on the secretory activity of rat type II alveolar cells: an ultrastructural study.
abstract: Colchicine in a total dose of 0.6 mg/100 g body weight per day was shown to reduce the level of apical surfactant secretion by type II alveolar cells in random-bred male albino rats, thereby demonstrating that the cytoplasmic microtubules participate in the release of surfactant into the alveolar lumen. In addition, basal secretion of surface-active material was found in 51% of all the cells. In a single dose of 8 mg/100 g b.w., pilocarpine stimulated apical surfactant secretion. If injected after colchicine, it slightly increased the number of type II alveolar cells ready to release surfactant, but actual secretion was not observed; the level of basal secretion did not increase. It has been suggested that microtubular function is not completely responsible for basal secretion and is only partly responsible for apical surfactant secretion.
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Pokrovskaya
authors.forename: L K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Romanova
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003078:Colchicine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004347:Drug Interactions; D008297:Male; D010862:Pilocarpine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011650:Pulmonary Alveoli / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D011663:Pulmonary Surfactants / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D011663:Pulmonary Surfactants; D010862:Pilocarpine; D003078:Colchicine