A model for mechanical structure of the alveolar duct

The appearance of the microstructure of the lung as revealed in transmission and scanning electron micrographs of perfusion-fixed air- and saline-filled lungs suggests the following model for the structure of the alveolar duct. There are two networks of force-bearing elements. The first is an interdependent part of the peripheral connective tissue system that starts from the pleura and extends into the interlobar and interlobular fissures. At the sublobular level, its geometry is not yet fully clear. This network is extended by changes in lung volume and is insensitive to surface tension. The second network is composed of the line elements that form the rims of the alveolar openings. This network is the terminal part of the axial fiber system that surrounds bronchi, bronchioli, and arteries. The line elements of this network are extended by the outward force of surface tension. The two-dimensional alveolar walls that form the alveoli are negligible mechanical components except as platforms for surface tension at the air-liquid interface. An analysis of the mechanics of this model yields relations among surface area, recoil pressure, lung volume, and surface tension that are consistent with published data for lung volumes below 80% of total lung capacity.