MORPHOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF CHRONIC TRACHEAL LIGATION AND DRAINAGE IN FETAL LAMB LUNG

  • 1 January 1977
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 123  (JUL) , 649-660
Abstract
The relationship between lung liquid flow and fetal lung development was studied at the cellular level using ultrastructural techniques. Continuous in utero tracheal ligation and drainage (over 21-28 days) resulted in malformations of the developing fetal lamb lung. Ligated lungs were larger, while drained lungs were smaller, than normal lungs of similar gestational age. These changes were not merely due to altered lung liquid volume, but actual tissue growth was affected. Future alveolar wall thinning was enhanced in ligated lungs and inhibited in drained lungs, while the presence of differentiated alveolar type II cells (probably related to surfactant production) was decreased in ligated lungs and markedly enhanced in drained lungs. Fetal lung liquid was important in the regulation of pulmonary development in the fetus.