The effect of age on lung structure in male BALB/cNNia inbred mice

Morphometric examination using light, scanning electron, and transmission electron microscopy was performed on the lungs from 32 inbred male BALB/ cNNia mice between 38 days and 28 months of age. Between 38 days and 9 months of age the changes were primarily those of growth. Alveolar multiplication and total elastic-fiber length appeared complete by 38 days of age. The major increase in the number of interalveolar pores occurred by 68 days, but there was a significant further increase from 68 days to 9 months of age. At 9 months, approximately 10% of the alveolar wall was formed by pores. Alveolar ducts, the cylindrical core of air central to alveolar mouths, increased more in diameter than length. Between 9 and 28 months the changes were attributed to aging and were different from those reported in humans and other species. Lung volume, alveolar surface area, and total volume of alveolar wall increased with age; there was no change in mean linear intercept and volume proportion of alveolar and alveolar duct air. Total area of pores increased with age, but their number and area fraction of the alveolar wall did not change. No transmission electron microscopic changes were seen in the alveolar walls. We speculate that the morphometric differences between our animals and those studied in other reports may reflect the fact that our animals were specific-pathogen-free animals and kept under protected circumstances.