The Lung Surfactant System in Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome.
Abstract
This research project was designed to characterize the components of the normal human lung surfactant system in order to evaluate the mechanisms, extent and significance of surfactant alterations which may accompany the progression of diffuse alveolar damage (DAD) in patients treated for ARDS. Using purification procedures developed in our laboratory we have been able to demonstrate that surgically excised lung specimens, postmortem lung specimens and tracheal aspirates are suitable for the isolation of human surfactant. We have already characterized the phospholipid composition of normal adult human surfactant and made considerable progress in the isolation and characterization of lung specific proteins. These proteins are somewhat different than those found in other animal species, although the major peptide subunits appear to be common in most animal species studied. In addition, we have begun to evaluate the phospholipid composition of surfactant isolated from tracheal aspirates of patients with ARDS. The preliminary data are promising with respect to our search for biochemical markers of lung surfactant damage. We have also obtained experimental evidence that ligation of rat cecum is a suitable model for gram negative sepsis and DAD. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 01, 1980
- Accession Number
- ADA121434
Entities
People
- John U. Balis
Organizations
- University of South Florida