Macromolecular Movement Into and Out of the Airspace in Pulmonary Edema
Funding:
Department of Veterans Affairs, Merit Review
Principal Investigator:
Project Summary:
The purpose of the proposed studies is to learn how plasma macromolecules enter and exit the airspaces of the lung in pulmonary edema. Normally, these molecules are confined to the pulmonary capillary circulation and surrounding interstitium. In edema, however, molecules such as albumin [66 kilodaltons (kD)] appear to enter the airspace freely. This observation suggests that the epithelial barrier that separates the interstitium from the airspace is permeable to albumin, at least during the formation of edema. However, the epithelial permeability in edema has never been measured.
Once within the airspace, it is not known if there is any restriction on the size of the molecules that escape, nor how rapidly they are cleared. This is an important question because macromolecules trapped within the airspace following an edematous episode generate an oncotic pressure that could exacerbate edema and impede its resolution. These studies are designed to address these questions, which are important to our understanding of the genesis and resolution of pulmonary edema.
Results of our proposed studies will yield new information about the transfer of macromolecules into and out of the airspaces in pulmonary edema. Such information will hopefully lead to improved methods for preventing and treating this often life-threatening condition.
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General Surgery
University of Wisconsin Department of Surgery
First published: 07/15/02 Last updated: 10/07/08 webmaster@surgery.wisc.edu
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