Journal of Applied Physiology Information on EB 2010
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

J Appl Physiol 93: 911-916, 2002. First published June 7, 2002; doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.00227.2002
8750-7587/02 $5.00
This Article
Right arrow Full Text Free
Right arrow Full Text (PDF) Free
Right arrow All Versions of this Article:
93/3/911    most recent
00227.2002v1
Right arrow Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in Web of Science
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Web of Science (8)
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Bachofen, H.
Right arrow Articles by Schürch, S.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Bachofen, H.
Right arrow Articles by Schürch, S.
Vol. 93, Issue 3, 911-916, September 2002

Effects of fixatives on function of pulmonary surfactant

H. Bachofen1, U. Gerber2, and S. Schürch2,3

1 Division of Pneumology, University Hospital of Berne, 3010 Berne; 2 Institute of Anatomy, University of Berne, 3012 Berne, Switzerland; and 3 Respiratory Research Group, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 4N1

The structure of pulmonary surfactant films remains ill defined. Although plausible film fragments have been imaged by electron microscopy, questions about the significance of the findings and even about the true fixability of surfactant films by the usual fixatives glutaraldehyde (GA), osmium tetroxide (OsO4), and uranyl acetate (UA) have not been settled. We exposed functioning natural surfactant films to fixatives within a captive bubble surfactometer and analyzed the effect of fixatives on surfactant function. The capacity of surfactant to reach near-zero minimum surface tension on film compression was barely impaired after exposure to GA or OsO4. Although neither GA nor OsO4 prevented the surfactant from forming a surface active film, GA increased the equilibrium surface tension to above 30 mN/m, and both GA and OsO4 decreased film stability as seen in the slowly rising minimum surface tension from 1 to ~5 mN/m in 10 min. In contrast, the effect of UA seriously impaired surface activity in that both adsorption and minimum surface tension were substantially increased. In conclusion, the fixatives tested in this study are not suitable to fix, i.e., to solidify, surfactant films. Evidently, however, OsO4 and UA may serve as staining agents.

lung surfactant; effect of fixatives; fixation of surfactant films


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Am. J. Physiol. Lung Cell. Mol. Physiol.Home page
H. Akei, J. A. Whitsett, M. Buroker, T. Ninomiya, H. Tatsumi, T. E. Weaver, and M. Ikegami
Surface tension influences cell shape and phagocytosis in alveolar macrophages
Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol, October 1, 2006; 291(4): L572 - L579.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med.Home page
N. E. Vlahakis and R. D. Hubmayr
Cellular Stress Failure in Ventilator-injured Lungs
Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., June 15, 2005; 171(12): 1328 - 1342.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J. Appl. Physiol.Home page
M. Geiser, S. Schurch, and P. Gehr
Influence of surface chemistry and topography of particles on their immersion into the lung's surface-lining layer
J Appl Physiol, May 1, 2003; 94(5): 1793 - 1801.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J. Appl. Physiol.Home page
E. M. Scarpelli, S. Schurch, and H. Bachofen
Lung surfactants: in vitro vs. in vivo
J Appl Physiol, March 1, 2003; 94(3): 1290 - 1292.
[Full Text] [PDF]


HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Visit Other APS Journals Online