Journal of Applied Physiology AJP: Renal Physiology
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J Appl Physiol 91: 1730-1740, 2001;
8750-7587/01 $5.00
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Vol. 91, Issue 4, 1730-1740, October 2001

Transport properties of alveolar epithelium measured by molecular hetastarch absorption in isolated rat lungs

Robert L. Conhaim1, Kal E. Watson1, Stephen J. Lai-Fook2, and Bruce A. Harms1

1 Department of Surgery, University of Wisconsin-Madison, The William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Madison, Wisconsin 53792-7375; and 2 Center for Biomedical Engineering, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky

To evaluate the transport properties of the alveolar epithelium, we instilled hetastarch (Het; 6%, 10 ml, 1 - 1 × 104 kDa) into the trachea of isolated rat lungs and then measured the molecular distribution of Het that entered the lung perfusate from the air space over 6 h. Het transport was driven by either diffusion or an oncotic gradient. Perfusate Het had a unique, bimodal molecular weight distribution, consisting of a narrow low-molecular-weight peak at 10-15 kDa (range, 5-46 kDa) and a broad high-molecular-weight band (range 46-2,000 kDa; highest at 288 kDa). We modeled the low-molecular-weight transport as (passive) restricted diffusion or osmotic flow through a small-pore system and the high-molecular-weight transport as passive transport through a large-pore system. The equivalent small-pore radius was 5.0 nm, with a distribution of 150 pores per alveolus. The equivalent large-pore radius was 17.0 nm, with a distribution of one pore per seven alveoli. The small-pore fluid conductivity (2 × 10-5 ml · h-1 · cm-2 · mmHg-1) was 10-fold larger than that of the large-pore conductivity.

pulmonary edema; lung fluid balance; epithelial transport; epithelial permeability


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