Abstract
Radioisotope-labeled, metabolically inactive molecules of varying radii (2-13 A) were used as probes to investigate the permeability properties of the internal cellular lining of the lung in exteriorized fetal lambs (mean gestational age of the two groups: 127 and 140 days). By placing the isotopes in the blood or lung liquid compartments and serially collecting samples of blood, lung liquid, and lung lymph, information was obtained about the separate capillary and alveolar components of the barrier. The results show that for both parts of the barrier the permeability constants for water-soluble/fat-insoluble molecules increase with diminution in size, and that the alveolar component is much less permeable than the capillary component (e.g., 1,000 fold difference for sucrose). Preliminary studies suggest that thte same size dependence holds for fat-soluble molecules, and that for a given size, permeability constants increase with fat solubility. There was no difference between the mature and immature fetuses.
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Normand, I., Olver, R., Reynolds, E. et al. 37. Alveolar and capillary permeability in the lung of the fetal lamb. Pediatr Res 5, 90–91 (1971). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197102000-00042
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197102000-00042
