Use of star volume to measure the size of the alveolar space in the asthmatic guinea-pig lung.
BACKGROUND
The ovalbumin-sensitized guinea-pig is a useful small-animal model of allergic asthma; however, it is unclear whether considerable morphological changes occur in the lung.


METHODS
Guinea-pigs were initially given ovalbumin (i.p. injection) for 14 days and asthma was then induced by daily challenges with aerosolized ovalbumin for 10 days. During this time, animals were treated with either saline (positive control) or dexamethasone. Pulmonary sections were prepared to estimate the volume and surface area of the alveolar space, mean thickness of the alveolar septum and star volume of the alveolar space using stereological methods.


RESULTS
The primary change in the lung in the positive control group was a significantly increased star volume, which was approximately threefold that of animals not treated with ovalbumin and the dexamethasone-treated group. There were no significant differences in other morphometric parameters between the groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Star volume of the alveolar space appears to be a good and useful parameter to detect morphological changes of the asthmatic lung.
Yang
Zheng-Wei
ZW
Morphometric Research Laboratory, North Sichuan Medical College, 234 Fujiang Road, Nanchong, Sichuan 637007, China. zwyang@nc-public.sc.cninfo.net
Qin
Yan-Hong
YH
Su
Shu-Rong
SR
D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000473:pathology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D010047:Ovalbumin; D011650:Pulmonary Alveoli / Q000473:pathology*; D016707:Tissue Fixation
D010047:Ovalbumin