Effects of acid aerosol exposure on the surface properties of airway mucus

Journal Article · Sun Dec 31 00:00:00 EST 1995 · Experimental Lung Research

DOI:https://doi.org/10.3109/01902149509031766· OSTI ID:459105

Lee, M M; Schuerch, S; Roth, S H ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Calgary, Alberta (Canada); and others

It was hypothesized that the mucous layer lining the tracheas of rats and guinea pigs contains surfactant material capable of lowering the air/mucus surface tension, {gamma}, and that exposure to an irritant aerosol would raise the {gamma}. The {gamma} of the surface film was measured directly by a spreading droplet technique and indirectly by displacement of polymethyl methacrylate particles into the aqueous layer. The morphology of the mucous film was examined by electron microscopy after nonaqueous fixation. {gamma} was 33.3 {plus_minus} 0.70 (SE) mN/m and 32.3 {plus_minus} 0.68 (SE) mN/m for the normal rat and guinea pig trachea, respectively. Exposure for 4 h to aerosols of sulfuric acid (94.1 {plus_minus} 18.68 (SD) and 43.3 {plus_minus} 4.57 (SD) mg/m{sup 3}) caused a several-fold increase in thickness of the mucous layer with exudation of protein-like material. The osmiophilic surfactant film at the air/mucus interface became irregularly thickened and multilayered. Despite these morphological changes {gamma} remained low, 33.2 {plus_minus} 0.43 (SE) mN/m and 32.6 {plus_minus} 0.60 (SE) mN/m for rats and guinea pigs, respectively, and displacement of particles into the subphase was not compromised. The results indicate that rodent tracheas are able to maintain a low surface tension in the presence of injury. 24 refs., 9 figs.

• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• OSTI ID: 459105
• Journal Information: Experimental Lung Research, Vol. 21, Issue 6; Other Information: PBD: 1995
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

56 BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
APPLIED STUDIES
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
55 BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
BASIC STUDIES
TRACHEA
MORPHOLOGICAL CHANGES
INJURIES
AEROSOLS
INHALATION
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
TOXICITY
RETENTION
SULFURIC ACID
MUCOUS MEMBRANES
SURFACE TENSION
RATS
GUINEA PIGS
SURFACTANTS
LUNGS
EXPOSURE CHAMBERS
SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY