Understanding the Principle Biophysics Concepts of Pulmonary Surfactant in Health and Disease Chiara Autilio,1,2 Jesús Pérez-Gil1,2
Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed: first published as 10.1136/archdischild-2018-315413 on 14 December 2018. Downloaded from Review Understanding the principle biophysics concepts of pulmonary surfactant in health and disease Chiara Autilio,1,2 Jesús Pérez-Gil1,2 1Department of Biochemistry ABSTRact stable film at the air-liquid interface, displacing and Molecular Biology, Faculty Pulmonary surfactant (PS) is a lipid-protein complex water molecules from exposure to air and therefore of Biology, Complutense reduces surface tension (figure 1A). At the same University, Madrid, Spain essential to stabilise the delicate structure of mammalian 2Research Institute "Hospital alveoli along with successive compression-expansion time, different components of PS constitute a first 12 de Octubre", Complutense respiratory cycles. To do so, surfactant reduces barrier to the access of pathogens to the rest of the University, Madrid, Spain dramatically surface tension at the air-liquid interface, organism via the large respiratory surface. an activity that depends critically on a proper lipid The major components of PS are lipids (~92%), Correspondence to composition and the presence of some specific surfactant mostly saturated phosphatidylcholine (DPPC) Professor Jesús Pérez-Gil, Department of Biochemistry, proteins. Lack or dysfunction of this system is associated (~40%), which is essential for PS surface active Faculty of Biology, Complutense with severe respiratory pathologies, which are in some properties. The saturated nature of acyl chains in University, José Antonio Novais cases treated by supplementation with exogenous DPPC allows for maximal packing on reduction of 12, Madrid 28040, Spain ; surfactant materials. The biophysical function and surface area, and therefore, maximal exclusion of jperezgil@ bio.
[Show full text]