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A theoretical study of diffusional transport over the alveolar surfactant layer.

Åberg, Christoffer LU ; Sparr, Emma LU ; Larsson, Marcus LU and Wennerström, Håkan LU (2010) In Journal of the Royal Society Interface 7. p.1403-1410
Abstract
In this communication, we analyse the passage of oxygen and carbon dioxide over the respiratory membrane. The lung surfactant membrane at the alveolar interface can have a very special arrangement, which affects the diffusional transport. We present a theoretical model for the diffusion of small molecules in membranes with a complex structure, and we specifically compare a membrane composed of a tubular bilayer network with a membrane consisting of a stack of bilayers. Oxygen and carbon dioxide differ in terms of their solubility in the aqueous and the lipid regions of the membrane, and we show that this difference clearly influences their transport properties in the different membrane structures. During normal respiration, the... (More)
In this communication, we analyse the passage of oxygen and carbon dioxide over the respiratory membrane. The lung surfactant membrane at the alveolar interface can have a very special arrangement, which affects the diffusional transport. We present a theoretical model for the diffusion of small molecules in membranes with a complex structure, and we specifically compare a membrane composed of a tubular bilayer network with a membrane consisting of a stack of bilayers. Oxygen and carbon dioxide differ in terms of their solubility in the aqueous and the lipid regions of the membrane, and we show that this difference clearly influences their transport properties in the different membrane structures. During normal respiration, the rate-limiting step for carbon dioxide transport is in the gas phase of the different compartments in the lung. For oxygen, on the other hand, the rate is limited by the transport between alveoli and the capillary blood vessels, including the lung surfactant membrane. In a membrane with a structure of a continuous tubular lipid network, oxygen transport is facilitated to a significant extent compared with the structure of aligned lipid bilayers. The model calculations in the present study show that transport of oxygen through the tubular structure is indeed ca 30 per cent faster than transport through a membrane composed of stacked bilayers. The tubular network will also facilitate the transport of apolar substances between the gas phase and the blood. Important examples are ethanol and other volatile liquids that can leave the blood through the lungs, and gaseous anaesthetics or volatile solvents that are inhaled. This exemplifies a new physiological role of a tubular lipid network in the lung surfactant membrane. (Less)
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author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Journal of the Royal Society Interface
volume
7
pages
1403 - 1410
publisher
The Royal Society of Canada
external identifiers
  • wos:000281281000002
  • pmid:20356881
  • scopus:77957167339
  • pmid:20356881
ISSN
1742-5662
DOI
10.1098/rsif.2010.0082
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
3ea1e414-dc58-4517-a9e3-896b37028d41 (old id 1598723)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 10:45:13
date last changed
2022-01-26 02:09:45
@article{3ea1e414-dc58-4517-a9e3-896b37028d41,
  abstract     = {{In this communication, we analyse the passage of oxygen and carbon dioxide over the respiratory membrane. The lung surfactant membrane at the alveolar interface can have a very special arrangement, which affects the diffusional transport. We present a theoretical model for the diffusion of small molecules in membranes with a complex structure, and we specifically compare a membrane composed of a tubular bilayer network with a membrane consisting of a stack of bilayers. Oxygen and carbon dioxide differ in terms of their solubility in the aqueous and the lipid regions of the membrane, and we show that this difference clearly influences their transport properties in the different membrane structures. During normal respiration, the rate-limiting step for carbon dioxide transport is in the gas phase of the different compartments in the lung. For oxygen, on the other hand, the rate is limited by the transport between alveoli and the capillary blood vessels, including the lung surfactant membrane. In a membrane with a structure of a continuous tubular lipid network, oxygen transport is facilitated to a significant extent compared with the structure of aligned lipid bilayers. The model calculations in the present study show that transport of oxygen through the tubular structure is indeed ca 30 per cent faster than transport through a membrane composed of stacked bilayers. The tubular network will also facilitate the transport of apolar substances between the gas phase and the blood. Important examples are ethanol and other volatile liquids that can leave the blood through the lungs, and gaseous anaesthetics or volatile solvents that are inhaled. This exemplifies a new physiological role of a tubular lipid network in the lung surfactant membrane.}},
  author       = {{Åberg, Christoffer and Sparr, Emma and Larsson, Marcus and Wennerström, Håkan}},
  issn         = {{1742-5662}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{1403--1410}},
  publisher    = {{The Royal Society of Canada}},
  series       = {{Journal of the Royal Society Interface}},
  title        = {{A theoretical study of diffusional transport over the alveolar surfactant layer.}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsif.2010.0082}},
  doi          = {{10.1098/rsif.2010.0082}},
  volume       = {{7}},
  year         = {{2010}},
}