Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 10, 2026

In Vitro Method to Control Concentrations of Halogenated Gases in Cultured Alveolar Epithelial Cells
Published on: October 23, 2018
The effects of volatile anesthetic agents on pulmonary surfactant function
W R Tobin1, H E Kaiser, A M Groeger
1Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY 14263, USA. wtobin@rocketmail.com
Abstract:
The purpose of this article is to review the findings from research directed at understanding the effects of volatile anesthetics on the respiratory surface known as pulmonary surfactant. Anesthetics have long been known to have a disruptive effect on biological membranes. This review will highlight the interactions of volatile anesthetics with pulmonary surfactant. This paper has emphasized the interaction of volatile anesthetics with the pulmonary surfactant monolayer versus the lipid bilayer. The goal of this review is to uncover to what extent this understanding has progressed in forty years. Although the goal is quite broad, the information gathered and the advice given is specific. Theories of anesthesia and surfactant structure and function are summarized and discussed in light of early physico-chemical approaches and extend to an era where powerful new three-dimensional structural techniques can be used to answer this question.
More Related Videos
09:36Halogenated Agent Delivery in Porcine Model of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome via an Intensive Care Unit Type Device
Published on: September 24, 2020
06:22Surfactant Depletion Combined with Injurious Ventilation Results in a Reproducible Model of the Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS)
Published on: April 7, 2021
Related Concept Videos
Breathing
Stages of General Anesthesia
Parenteral Anesthetics: Overview
Inhalational Anesthetics: Overview
Factors Affecting Pulmonary Ventilation
Alveolar Surface Tension
The alveolar fluid lines the luminal surface of the alveoli and exerts a force called surface tension. This force is caused by the polar water molecules in the liquid being more strongly attracted to each...
Atelectasis II: Pathophysiology