A synthetic emulsion reproduces the functional properties of pulmonary surfactant.
An effective substitute for pulmonary surfactant must be able to reduce water-vapour surface tensions to under 1 mN/m and it must spread rapidly and spontaneously at the air interface from the aqueous phase. Pure dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine meets the former requirement, but not the latter. A synthetic surfactant is described which meets both of these criteria. The surfactant is prepared as a DPPC monolayer stabilizing an aqueous emulsion of an inert fluorocarbon oil; it spreads rapidly at the air/liquid interface, lowers the surface tension to under 1 mN/m during compression at the air/liquid interface and restores normal pressure-volume characteristics to surfactant-depleted lungs.
D000818:Animals; D004655:Emulsions; D005466:Fluorocarbons; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008170:Lung Compliance; D011663:Pulmonary Surfactants / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D013500:Surface Tension; D014867:Water
D004655:Emulsions; D005466:Fluorocarbons; D011663:Pulmonary Surfactants; D014867:Water; C037464:perfluoromethyldecalin