Lung volume and compliance in neonatal rats.
Lung volumes and static lung compliance were measured in decapitated three day-old neonatal Long Evans' rat pups. Compliance was measured in situ (open chest method) using a water manometer and syringe system. Mean total lung capacity at 20 cm H2O pressure (TLC20) was 0.678 ml. Minimum lung volume after experimental inflation was 0.197 +/- 0.048 ml, and vital capacity was 0.56 ml (Vmax20). The mean lung compliance value for the approximate tidal loop (between 3 and 12 cm H2O) equalled 26.2 microliters air/cm H2O for the inflation limb and 23.1 microliters/cm H2O for the deflation limb.
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D001835:Body Weight; D008168:Lung / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D008170:Lung Compliance; D008176:Lung Volume Measurements / Q000662:veterinary; D009929:Organ Size; D051381:Rats / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D014109:Total Lung Capacity / Q000662:veterinary