title: The role of the lung in the metabolism of ethanol.
abstract: Rat lung slices incubated in a Krebs ringer bicarbonate buffer were able to metabolize ethanol at rates which are dependent on the concentration of ethanol used. This metabolic system showed an apparent Km for ethanol of the order of 12 mM and a Vmax of 450 mumoles/g lung x hr. At 10 mM ethanol, lung slices metabolized 232.74 +/- 31.67 mumoles/g lung x hr whereas liver slices showed rates of metabolism which were ten times lower. The ability of the lung to metabolize ethanol was not observed in the absence of oxygen. Calculations indicate that the lungs could account for about 30% to 40% of the in vivo rates of ethanol metabolism.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000431:Ethanol / Q000378:metabolism*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007700:Kinetics; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008168:Lung / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
chemical_list: D000431:Ethanol