title: Ultrastructure of type II alveolar epithelial cells in rats with acute respiratory distress syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To observe the ultrastructure of type II alveolar epithelium cells of rats with experimental acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).
  
  
  METHODS
  Rat models of ARDS were established via oleic acid injection, and the type II alveolar epithelium was isolated and purified to observe the changes in the ultrastructure of the cells under transmission electron microscope.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Observation under transmission electron microscope revealed evidently decreased lamellar bodies in type II alveolar epithelial cells leading to vacuolation in rats with ARDS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  After proper isolation and purification, the morphological changes in type II alveolar epithelial cells can be more easily observed, and the changes in the lamellar bodies suggest that type II cells play an important role in ARDS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, Nanfang Hospital, First Military Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China.
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Tao-ping
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D011650:Pulmonary Alveoli / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012128:Respiratory Distress Syndrome / Q000473:pathology*