PATHOLOGICAL STUDIES ON EXPERIMENTAL PULMONARY FIBROSIS INDUCED BY SOLUBLE IMMUNE COMPLEX—ESPECIALLY ON ITS ELECTRON MICROSCOPIC OBSERVATIONS

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Abstract
Diffuse pulmonary fibrosis was induced experimentally in guinea pig by administration of heterologous immune complex with simultaneous inhalation of subtoxic oxygen. The capillary endothelium was affected primarily by soluble immune complex and this resulted in interstitial pulmonary edema. The most characteristic findings in this study were demonstrated in the basement membrane. Within several days, the basement membrane of both capillary endothelium and alveolar epithelium was diffusely thickened and increased in electron density. These pathological changes are supposed to cause persistence of edema fluid within interstitium and prolonged duration of inflammatory process.