Title: Development of the Pulmonary Surfactant System
Abstract: This chapter focuses on the normal composition, function, and development of the pulmonary surfactant system, and discusses the effects of genetic and environmental factors on the fetal and neonatal surfactant system. In humans, pulmonary surfactant is comprised of ∼80% phospholipids, 12% neutral lipids, and 8% protein. The primary function of the pulmonary surfactant system is to vary the surface tension at the air–liquid interface with changing volume within individual alveoli. This variation in surface tension results in very distinct lung compliance curves with a marked hysteresis, and provides the lung with alveolar stability, preventing atelectasis (alveolar collapse) at low lung volumes and overinflation at high lung volumes. Dysfunction of the surfactant system at birth, either through preterm birth or other environmental or genetic causes, may lead to respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). Although the use of antenatal glucocorticoids and the administration of exogenous surfactant to the neonate have been remarkably successful in the treatment of RDS, a significant number of affected infants develop chronic lung injury (BPD). There is a growing awareness that the intrauterine environment may have profound effects on the physiology of the infant and also in later adult life. Lung and surfactant functions also appear to be profoundly affected in the infant by intrauterine influences such as severe growth retardation. SP-B deficiency is the only known classically inherited surfactant deficiency disease. Inherited deficiency of SP-B is an autosomal recessxve disorder that leads to lethal respiratory failure immediately after birth.
Publication Year: 2004
Publication Date: 2004-01-01
Language: en
Type: book-chapter
Indexed In: ['crossref']
Access and Citation
Cited By Count: 17
AI Researcher Chatbot
Get quick answers to your questions about the article from our AI researcher chatbot