Comparison between pathological and biochemical investigations on an experimental model of fibrosing alveolitis

Subcutaneously injected Freund's adjuvant caused a fibrosing alveolitis in guinea pigs. This model served to compare biochemical and morphological parameters. The phospholipids were quantitatively extracted from lung tissue, separated and estimated. The fatty acid composition of lecithin was analysed. We observed a correlation between the histologic alterations and the content of phospholipids. A constantly higher phospholipid content was measured in the affected lungs in comparison to the normal ones; however, the composition of the phospholipids changed. The close correlation between the course of the inflammation and the biochemical pattern seems to indicate a function-correlated control of lung metabolism.