[Ultrastructural changes of the lungs and kidneys in endotoxin shock]

Ultrastructural changes in the lungs and kidneys in the dynamics of endotoxin shock have been studied in experiments on rats, rabbits and dogs. It has been shown that in the initial period of shock in the epithelial cells of alveoli and convoluted tubules dystrophic processes take place and simultaneously the vascular permeability increases. In the intermediate period of the endotoxin shock the mesenchymal dystrophy is additionally registered in the lungs, while necrosis of epithelium of some tubules--in the kidneys. The interstitial fibrosis and mitosis of pneumocytes of type II, substituting the respiratory epithelium are revealed in the lungs at the stage of late endotoxemia. The adaptive changes, arising as a result of improving renal hemodynamics are observed in the kidneys.