title: Alterations of alveolar type II cells and intraalveolar surfactant after bronchoalveolar lavage and perfluorocarbon ventilation. An electron microscopical and stereological study in the rat lung.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Repeated bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) has been used in animals to induce surfactant depletion and to study therapeutical interventions of subsequent respiratory insufficiency. Intratracheal administration of surface active agents such as perfluorocarbons (PFC) can prevent the alveolar collapse in surfactant depleted lungs. However, it is not known how BAL or subsequent PFC administration affect the intracellular and intraalveolar surfactant pool.
  
  
  METHODS
  Male wistar rats were surfactant depleted by BAL and treated for 1 hour by conventional mechanical ventilation (Lavaged-Gas, n = 5) or partial liquid ventilation with PF 5080 (Lavaged-PF5080, n = 5). For control, 10 healthy animals with gas (Healthy-Gas, n = 5) or PF5080 filled lungs (Healthy-PF5080, n = 5) were studied. A design-based stereological approach was used for quantification of lung parenchyma and the intracellular and intraalveolar surfactant pool at the light and electron microscopic level.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared to Healthy-lungs, Lavaged-animals had more type II cells with lamellar bodies in the process of secretion and freshly secreted lamellar body-like surfactant forms in the alveoli. The fraction of alveolar epithelial surface area covered with surfactant and total intraalveolar surfactant content were significantly smaller in Lavaged-animals. Compared with Gas-filled lungs, both PF5080-groups had a significantly higher total lung volume, but no other differences.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  After BAL-induced alveolar surfactant depletion the amount of intracellularly stored surfactant is about half as high as in healthy animals. In lavaged animals short time liquid ventilation with PF5080 did not alter intra- or extracellular surfactant content or subtype composition.
authors.affiliation: Clinic for Neonatology, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Mitte, Berlin, Germany. mario.ruediger@uibk.ac.at
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rüdiger
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wendt
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Köthe
authors.forename: Wolfram
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Burkhardt
authors.forename: Roland R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Wauer
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ochs
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018893:Bronchoalveolar Lavage; D005466:Fluorocarbons / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D021061:Liquid Ventilation / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D011650:Pulmonary Alveoli / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D011663:Pulmonary Surfactants / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D005466:Fluorocarbons; D011663:Pulmonary Surfactants