Giant Lamellar Bodies in Alveolar Type II Cells of Rats Exposed to a Low Concentration of Ozone

Abstract
The effect of a low concentration of ozone on pulmonary surfactant release was examined by the ultrastructural morphometry of lamellar bodies in alveolar type II cells. Rats were exposed to approximately 0.3 ppm of ozone for 3 h daily for 16 consecutive days. The volume density of lamellar bodies, relative to the cell, increased significantly following ozone exposure. After 11 days giant lamellar bodies were found in ozone-exposed rats. These findings suggest that ozone exposure causes the impairment of pulmonary surfactant release