[Effect of the main components of blood on pulmonary surfactant]

The effect of the main blood constituents on surface activity of substrates containing pulmonary surfactant has been investigated. Mixing of hemolysate, serum, albumin, and fibrinogen with lung extracts and washings, their application in the form of a monolayer or administration into the hypophase of the washing monolayer raised the surface tension (ST) of these substrates. Hemoglobin, serum lipids and cholesterol exerted an opposite action. The contact of all above blood constituents, that elicited varied effects on the ST of the medium containing the surfactant with pulmonary vesicles led to an increase in their stability coefficient determined according to the method of Pattle.