Ultrastructure of exogenous surfactants using cryogenic scanning electron microscopy

Therapy with specialised biomaterials, exogenous surfactants, is known to significantly decrease the mortality rates in Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS). Surfactants available commercially vary widely in composition and biophysical properties. The present paper studies the ultrastructure of three exogenous surfactants used for the treatment of Respiratory Distress Syndrome, namely, Survanta, ALEC and Exosurf Neonatal with respect to their ability to form liposomes using cryogenic scanning electron microscopy. Liposomal organisation is more obvious in Exosurf than in Survanta and is most pronounced in ALEC. ALEC forms closed regular liposomes with an onion-ring-like internal bilayer arrangement. Survanta forms open membranous structures with wavy ribbon-like membranes. The complex membrane-like structures seen with Survanta may be due to the interaction of lipids with surfactant-specific proteins present in this surfactant which is derived from natural lung extracts and might indicate superior spreading at the lipid-water interface. Artificial protein-free surfactants (ALEC and Exosurf) did not appear to form these open membranous structures. Further study of the ultrastructure of possible biomaterials as surfactants could help in the development of new, improved artificial protein-free surfactants with open membranous structures that might facilitate spreading at the air-liquid interface of lungs.