Influence of pH and temperature on behaviour of surfactant from human neonatal lungs.
The surface pressures of human surfactant films were measured under static conditions and under dynamic (expansion-compression) conditions. The results from both methods showed that the maximum surface pressures generated by surfactant films in vitro were strongly dependent on temperature throughout the range 29-41 degrees C, higher pressures being achieved at the lower temperatures. In contrast, increasing the pH of the subphase stepwise over the range 7.1-7.7 produced a modest fall in the maximum pressures exerted by the films. The possibility that surfactant films may behave in a similar manner in vivo is discussed.
Influence of pH and temperature on behaviour of surfactant from human neonatal lungs. The surface pressures of human surfactant films were measured under static conditions and under dynamic (expansion-compression) conditions. The results from both methods showed that the maximum surface pressures generated by surfactant films in vitro were strongly dependent on temperature throughout the range 29-41 degrees C, higher pressures being achieved at the lower temperatures. In contrast, increasing the pH of the subphase stepwise over the range 7.1-7.7 produced a modest fall in the maximum pressures exerted by the films. The possibility that surfactant films may behave in a similar manner in vivo is discussed.