Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Breathing

Breathing

The process of breathing, inhaling and exhaling, involves the coordinated movement of the chest wall, the lungs, and the muscles that move them. Two muscle groups with important roles in breathing are the diaphragm, located directly below the lungs, and the intercostal muscles, which lie between the ribs. When the diaphragm contracts, it moves downward, increasing the volume of the thoracic cavity and creating more room for the lungs to expand. When the intercostal muscles contract, the ribs...

Atelectasis II: Pathophysiology

Atelectasis II: Pathophysiology

Atelectasis develops when alveoli lose their air and collapse inward. Because lung tissue is naturally elastic, these air sacs shrink rather than remaining open. Collapsed alveoli are no longer ventilated, reducing their role in gas exchange. Blood flow may continue in these regions, creating a ventilation–perfusion mismatch. Clinical findings include decreased breath sounds, dullness to percussion, reduced chest expansion, and decreased tactile fremitus as sound transmission through collapsed...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Unseen pathogen pathways: the impact of high-touch surfaces in public spaces.

Perspectives in public health·2025

Same author

Current prevalence and relevance of positive patch test reactions to cosmetic and noncosmetic isothiazolinones in the UK.

The British journal of dermatology·2021

Same author

Occupational dermatoses during the COVID-19 pandemic: a multicentre audit in the UK and Ireland.

The British journal of dermatology·2020

Same author

European S1 guidelines on the management of lichen planus: a cooperation of the European Dermatology Forum with the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.

Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology : JEADV·2020

Same author

What is in? What is out? Updating the British Society for Cutaneous Allergy facial series.

The British journal of dermatology·2020

Same author

The Surface-Active Lining of the Lung.

Journal of the Royal College of Physicians of London·2019

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 29, 2026

An Experimental System to Study Mechanotransduction in Fetal Lung Cells

An Experimental System to Study Mechanotransduction in Fetal Lung Cells

Published on: February 16, 2012

Postmortem changes in the surpellic activity of lung surfactant.

R E Pattle, S M Cooper

British Journal of Experimental Pathology

|August 1, 1978

Summary

Lung surfactant activity in cadaver-stored mouse lungs lasts significantly longer than morphological changes detected by electron microscopy, indicating preserved biochemical function post-mortem.

Area of Science:

Pulmonary physiology
Biochemistry
Post-mortem studies

Background:

Lung surfactant is crucial for maintaining alveolar stability.
Understanding post-mortem changes in lung tissue is vital for research and diagnostics.
Previous studies have focused on morphological changes, with less known about biochemical persistence.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the duration of lung surfactant activity in stored cadaver mouse lungs.
To compare the persistence of surfactant activity with morphological degradation.

Main Methods:

Mouse lungs were stored post-mortem.
Surfactant activity was assessed over time.
Morphological changes were evaluated using electron microscopy.

More Related Videos

Surfactant Depletion Combined with Injurious Ventilation Results in a Reproducible Model of the Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS)

Surfactant Depletion Combined with Injurious Ventilation Results in a Reproducible Model of the Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS)

Published on: April 7, 2021

Establishment of a Novel Ex Vivo Lung Perfusion System for Rat Lungs After Circulatory Death

Establishment of a Novel Ex Vivo Lung Perfusion System for Rat Lungs After Circulatory Death

Published on: October 18, 2024

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 29, 2026

An Experimental System to Study Mechanotransduction in Fetal Lung Cells

An Experimental System to Study Mechanotransduction in Fetal Lung Cells

Published on: February 16, 2012

Surfactant Depletion Combined with Injurious Ventilation Results in a Reproducible Model of the Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS)

Surfactant Depletion Combined with Injurious Ventilation Results in a Reproducible Model of the Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS)

Published on: April 7, 2021

Establishment of a Novel Ex Vivo Lung Perfusion System for Rat Lungs After Circulatory Death

Establishment of a Novel Ex Vivo Lung Perfusion System for Rat Lungs After Circulatory Death

Published on: October 18, 2024

Main Results:

Surfactant activity persisted for extended periods in stored lungs.
Significant morphological alterations were observed earlier than the loss of surfactant activity.
Biochemical function of surfactant remained intact long after structural damage.

Conclusions:

Lung surfactant retains its functional activity for a prolonged duration after death.
Morphological assessments alone may underestimate the viability of lung tissue post-mortem.
This finding has implications for research utilizing preserved lung tissue.