The integrity of both pulmonary surfactant and surfactant
producing cells, type II pneumocytes, is essential for normal
pulmonary function. Almost all studies about air pollution effects on
the pulmonary surfactant system have been performed by
biochemical techniques, using atmospheric pollutants in a much
higher concentration than that found in polluted city air. A
comparative study of the number of lamellar bodies (LB) (pulmonary
surfactant precursors) from type II pneumocytes . of rat lungs
belonging to a contaminated city habitat and a non-contaminated
countryside one has been carried out. Solid particles and high rates
of nitrogen oxides in the polluted air, as well as, the oxygen
metabolites produced by the macrophages, caused marked decrease
in the amount of LB from type II pneumocytes. The average of LB
per cell section in city rats was about 33% less than in countryside
specimens. Moreover, a great amount of macrophages in the lungs
from city rats has been shown to be present, whereas this cell type is
very scare in the lung from country side rats. |
