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Related Experiment Videos

Alveolar surfactant subfractions differ in their lipid composition

F Guthmann1, R Haupt, M Schlame

  • 1Department of Neonatology, Medical School of Humboldt University, Charité Berlin, Germany.

The International Journal of Biochemistry & Cell Biology
|October 1, 1995
PubMed
Summary

Alveolar surfactant subfractions, separated by centrifugation, show distinct lipid distributions. Dense fractions contain phospholipids, while lighter fractions contain cholesterol, plasmalogens, and vitamin E, suggesting functional differences.

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Area of Science:

  • Pulmonary physiology
  • Biochemistry
  • Lipid analysis

Background:

  • Alveolar surfactant is crucial for lung function.
  • Surfactant exists in subfractions with varying structures and functions.
  • Previous analysis showed minor phospholipid differences, prompting detailed lipid pattern investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To conduct a detailed lipid analysis of alveolar surfactant subfractions.
  • To correlate compositional differences with functional properties.
  • To elucidate the origin and fate of different surfactant subfractions.

Main Methods:

  • Differential centrifugation of rat lung lavage to obtain subfractions.
  • Thin-layer chromatography (TLC) for lipid class separation.

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  • Gas chromatography (GC) for fatty acid and plasmalogen analysis.
  • Enzymatic and High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) for cholesterol and vitamin E determination.

    • Main Results:

    • Fatty acid patterns and molecular species of phosphatidylcholine/phosphatidylethanolamine were similar across subfractions.
    • Significant variations in individual lipid distributions were observed.
    • Dense subfractions (1000g, 60,000g) were rich in phospholipids and polyunsaturated fatty acids.
    • Less dense subfraction (100,000g pellet) was enriched in cholesterol, plasmalogens, and vitamin E.
    • Supernatant contained significant amounts of triacylglycerols, diacylglycerols, and free fatty acids.

    Conclusions:

    • The 1000g subfraction likely represents freshly secreted surfactant.
    • The 60,000g subfraction may contain both monolayer and newly secreted surfactant.
    • The 100,000g pellet might represent surfactant squeezed from the monolayer during exhalation.
    • The supernatant likely contains surfactant components targeted for clearance from the alveoli.