title: A method for perfusing and ventilating rat lungs in vitro.
abstract: A method is described for perfusing and ventilating rat lungs in vitro that was developed for pharmacological studies of the pulmonary circulation. A blood-physiological salt solution-albumin (Blood-PSS-Alb) mixture is equilibrated with selected gas tensions in an oxygenator circuit composed of a pump, a reservoir and a Kolobow membrane lung. A fraction of this perfusate is diverted to the pulmonary artery of a rat lung, ventilated and suspended in a temperature-controlled chamber. Perfusate emerging from the left atrium is returned to the circuit reservoir. This technique allows independent regulation of the perfusate and alveolar gas tension and the temperature, carbon dioxide tension and pH of the system is controlled. The model has been utilized for studies of hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction (HPV) and consistent and reproducible responses observed for four hours. Practical details for the preparation, cleaning and successful operation of this system are described herein.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008168:Lung / Q000601:surgery; D008722:Methods; D010477:Perfusion / Q000379:methods*; D011652:Pulmonary Circulation; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012119:Respiration; D014661:Vasoconstriction