Pulmonary surfactant: phase behavior and function.

Barbora Piknova, Vincent Schram, Stephen B Hall

Journal: Current opinion in structural biology 2003;12(4):487-94

PMID: 12163072

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Abstract

Pulmonary surfactant functions by first flowing rapidly into the alveolar air/water interface, but then resisting collapse from the surface when the adsorbed interfacial film is compressed during exhalation. Widely accepted models emphasize the importance of phase behavior in both processes. Recent studies show, however, that fluidity is a relatively minor determinant of adsorption and that solid films, which resist collapse, can form by kinetic processes unrelated to equilibrium phase behavior.

Address: Molecular Medicine, Mail Code NRC-3, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland 97201-3098, USA. [email protected]

DOI: 10.1016/s0959-440x(02)00352-4

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MeSH Terms: 1,2-Dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine, Adsorption, Air, Lipids, Proteolipids, Pulmonary Alveoli, Pulmonary Surfactants, Surface Tension, Water