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The influence of maternal nicotine exposure on neonatal lung alveolar epithelial status: an electron microscope study
G S Maritz1, L Scott, R A Thomas
1Department of Physiological Sciences, University of the Western Cape, Bellville, South Africa.
The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of maternal nicotine exposure (1 mg nicotine/kg body mass/day) on neonatal lung alveolar epithelial cells. Rats (Wistar descendants) were used. The data illustrate that maternal nicotine exposure during pregnancy and lactation resulted in alveolar fenestrations, blebbing and rupturing of the blood-air barrier. The type I pneumocyte appears to be more sensitive to the effect of nicotine than the type II pneumocytes.
The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of maternal nicotine exposure (1 mg nicotine/kg body mass/day) on neonatal lung alveolar epithelial cells. Rats (Wistar descendants) were used. The data illustrate that maternal nicotine exposure during pregnancy and lactation resulted in alveolar fenestrations, blebbing and rupturing of the blood-air barrier. The type I pneumocyte appears to be more sensitive to the effect of nicotine than the type II pneumocytes.
