title: Changes in phospholipid composition of lung surfactant during development in the fetal lamb.
abstract: The lung surfactant isolated from pulmonary fluid of fetal sheep changes both in amount and composition during gestation. Total phosphatidylcholine (PC) and its most surface-active components, disaturated PC, are present at very low levels 3-4 weeks prior to term and rise to adult levels 3-4 days before birth. The acidic phospholipids appear with a different time course. Phosphatidylserine reaches elevated levels about 21 days before birth. Phosphatidylinositol begins to increase at about 130 days of gestation. Phosphatidylglycerol is not a component (less than 1%) of the surfactant in this fetal lung fluid. At term, phosphatidylinositol is the major acidic phospholipid found in these fluids.
mesh_terms: D000135:Acid Phosphatase / Q000302:isolation & purification; D000818:Animals; D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D002621:Chemistry; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000378:metabolism; D005865:Gestational Age; D008168:Lung / Q000196:embryology* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011663:Pulmonary Surfactants / Q000378:metabolism*; D012756:Sheep / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D010743:Phospholipids; D011663:Pulmonary Surfactants; D000135:Acid Phosphatase