Differential distribution of elastic system fibers in control and bronchoconstricted intraparenchymatous airways in the guinea-pig lung.
The elastic system fibers were studied at the light microscopic level by using Weigert's resorcin-fuchsin method after oxidation. This study was designed to describe the distribution of these fibers in intrapulmonary guinea-pig airways and to characterize their conformational changes during bronchoconstriction induced by methacholine aerosol. Airways present a palisade of elastic system fibers just beneath the epithelial basement membrane; these fibers are also present in the adventitial connective tissue. Thin fibers link the fibers located in the palisade among themselves and also connect them to those fibers located in the bronchial adventitial tissue, by traversing the airway smooth muscle. During bronchoconstriction, the fibers located beneath the epithelial basement membrane are divided into two components: one follows the epithelial invaginations towards airway lumen, while the other population remains attached through airway smooth muscle to the fibers located in the adventitial connective tissue. At the ultrastructural level, the findings corroborated those of the light microscopy and in addition, disclosed that typical mature elastic fibers and also elaunin fibers attach directly to the basal lamina, a feature that has not been reported previously in other tissues studied. This configuration is compatible with the idea that fibers of the elastic system restrict the mucosal folding during bronchoconstriction, and may also provide energy to restore airway configuration to its normal status after contraction.
Leick-Maldonado
E A
EA
Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of São Paulo, Brazil.
Lemos
M
M
Tibério
I F
IF
Caldini
E G
EG
Montes
G S
GS
Martins
M A
MA
Saldiva
P H
PH
D000818:Animals; D001980:Bronchi / Q000166:cytology*; D016084:Bronchoconstriction / Q000187:drug effects*; D016085:Bronchoconstrictor Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004547:Elastic Tissue / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D008168:Lung / Q000166:cytology*; D016210:Methacholine Chloride / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008854:Microscopy, Electron
D016085:Bronchoconstrictor Agents; D016210:Methacholine Chloride