Journal of Applied Physiology, Vol 53, Issue 1 230-235, Copyright © 1982 by American Physiological Society
Biochemical and physiological development of fetal rhesus lung
R. H. Perelman, M. J. Engle, J. W. Kemnitz, R. V. Kotas and P. M. Farrell
Study of 17 fetal rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) revealed a sequential
rise in lung phosphatidylcholine (PC) concentration due to elevations in
both disaturated (DSPC) and unsaturated constituents. The % DSPC in lung
tissue clinical abruptly at 145 days of gestation prior to significant
increases in PC or DSPC concentration but in association with improved lung
deflation stability (% V10). This suggests that the DSPC-to-PC ratio may be
a sensitive biochemical indicator of surfactant phospholipid production in
lung parenchyma. Phosphatidyl-glycerol content did not increase
significantly until after 155 days gestation, which was coincident with
maximizing pulmonary distensibility (V max). Declining levels of
phosphatidylethanolamine and sphingomyelin in lung tissue at 162 days
support the hypothesis that preferential synthesis of PC occurs during late
gestation. A serial decline in lung glycogen content with advancing
gestation may reflect glycogen utilization as a substrate for lung
phospholipid production. Comparison of biochemical and physiological data
confirms the impression that discordances occur among lung maturational
events. Lastly, a relationship between rising fetal blood cortisol levels
and indices of fetal lung development was not demonstrated.
