Fluid filtration and protein clearances through large and small pore populations in dog lung capillaries

Solvent drag reflection coefficients (sigma f) for six protein fractions with hydrodynamic radii ranging from 37 to 120 A were determined using dog lung lymph CL/CP data over a range of lung lymph flows (QL). Two equivalent pore populations with effective radii of 75-85 A and 200-325 A were determined for the pulmonary capillaries over a range of mean lymph flows for 1.8 to 6.3 times control. Fractional fluid clearance through the large pore population was observed to decrease from 0.28 to 0.16 as QL increased. These data indicate that lymph flow (filtration) increased primarily by an increased filtration through small pores with relatively little increase in filtration through the large pore population. The shift to small pore filtration at high filtration rates accounts for the dependence of the homoporous estimate of total protein sigma f on lymph flow previously observed using lung lymph (Parker et al., 1981). If capillary membrane heteroporosity is present then there should be a net convective clearance of protein across the capillary caused by a volume circulation between large and small pore populations. Minimal estimates of 6-10% of protein clearance are attributed to this mechanism even in the absence of net fluid movement across the capillary. The optimal solute radius for clearance due to volume circulation is about 60 A, based on the membrane pore sizes determined for lung capillaries. Although convective transport of macromolecules is generally acknowledged to account for most transcapillary protein clearance at high filtration rates, the inclusion of a volume circulation component suggests that convection may also be the dominant mode of macromolecular transport at low filtration rates.