Oxygen Toxicity and Lung Collagenous Protein.
Abstract
The major objective of this proposal was to investigate the chemical composition and subunit structure of the basement membrane and collagenous components of the normal lung and of lungs exposed to agents thought to promote the formation of singlet oxygen and thereby produce oxidative damage to tissue components. The pathological and functional changes attributable to singlet oxygen production can be induced experimentally by paraquat (1,1-dimethyl-4, 4-dipyridilium dichloride) which is thought to produce toxicity comparable to that produced by hyperoxia. Connective tissue makes up about 25% of the adult human lung and plays an important role in the mechanical and physiological functions of the lung. The alveolar basement membrane, because it lies in the primary pathway traversed by ventilated gases, is of particular interest and, therefore, the determination of the structure and composition of this component of the extracellular matrix of the lung is of considerable importance. In the last few years, it has become increasingly obvious from the study of extracellular matrix from a variety of tissues that a complex population of proteins make up the extracellular matrix. Several new collagen types have been described as well as high molecular weight non-colla gens that appear to be associated with normal basement membranes. In view of the new and somewhat unanticipated information accumulating in this area, the characterization of putative changes in the nature of matrix components in pathologic states must, of necessity, lag behind a more thorough characterization of normal basement membrane and extracellular components.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 28, 1981
- Accession Number
- ADA104702
Entities
People
- I. Glenn Sipes
- Klaus Brendel
Organizations
- University of Arizona