Characteristics and regulation of active transport in lungs from young and aged mammals

From the data presented here, it appears that the ability to stimulate solute (and water) clearance from the alveolar spaces may decrease with aging. This implies that the management of elderly patients with respiratory diseases or complications may necessitate a different approach than that useful in younger patients. Many of the active transport mechanisms well-characterized in other epithelia now seem to be important for maintaining the alveolar air spaces in their normally "dry" condition in the lungs of fetal and young, sexually mature mammals. In situations in which excess fluid is present in the air spaces of the lung, it is likely that the normal regulation of these active transport processes may play a major processes may play a major role in alveolar fluid clearance. Various exogenous agents may be helpful in stimulating the active solute and water reabsorption from air space to vascular space in both fetal and young sexually mature mammals. Further studies on the effects of aging on the characteristics and regulation of lung fluid balance are still needed.