Prostacyclin (PGI2) generation in lungs of fetal and newborn rabbit

Perfused lungs from fetal (26-28 days of gestation) and newborn rabbits preferentially transform arachidonic acid into a substance which mimics PGI2 activity on different isolated tissues in cascase. These data support the hypothesis that antiplatelet and vasodilating vasodilating activity of PGI2 generated in the lungs may contribute to the characteristics of the fetal circulation.