Surfactant from diving aquatic mammals

摘要: Diving mammals that descend to depths of 50-70 m or greater fully collapse the gas exchanging portions their lungs and then reexpand these areas with ascent. To investigate whether animals may have evolved a uniquely developed surfactant system facilitate repetitive alveolar expansion, we analyzed in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BAL) obtained from nine pinnipeds pigs humans. In contrast BAL terrestrial mammals, has higher concentration phospholipid relatively more fluidic phosphatidylcholine molecular species, perhaps rapid spreading during reexpansion. Normalized concentrations hydrophobic proteins B C were not significantly different among by immunologic assay, but separation gel electrophoresis indicated content protein elephant seal than human surfactant. Remarkably, deepest diving produced moderately elevated vitro minimum surface tension measurements, finding explained presence neutral lipid inhibitors. Further study composition function pinniped surfactants contribute design optimized therapeutic surfactants.