Abstract
We have reported that cervical cord section at C1 - C3 level in 22 - 26 day rabbit fetuses results in a 43% reduction in lung wet weight and a 16% reduction in lung DNA when compared to sham operated littermates at harvesting on day 28 - 29. This effect could be due to impaired lung liquid secretion in the cord-sectioned (CS) fetuses. To investigate this aspect, tracheal ligation (TL) with or without high cervical CS was performed in rabbit fetuses at 24 - 26 days which were harvested 2 - 4 days later. Lung weight, lung DNA, lung phospholipid phosphorus, lung lecithin phosphorus and lung lecithin palmitate were compared between fetuses subjected to tracheal ligation alone, those with TL + CS and intact littermate controls. TL alone and TL + CS groups had a mean increase in lung weight/gram body weight of 80% and in lung DNA/gram body weight of 15% four days after operation. No consistent change was demonstrated in total lung phospholipid phosphorus, lecithin and lecithin palmitate. Our results indicate: isolated fetal cervical CS results in lung collapse and impaired growth; cervical CS does not impair lung liquid secretion; retained lung liquid secretion has a powerful growth-promoting effect which completely reverses the growth retarding effect of cord section. We hypothesize that the CNS influences fetal lung growth by controlling the retention rather than the formation of lung liquid.
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Wigglesworth, J., Pape, K., Guerrini, P. et al. 1248 INTERACTION EFFECTS BETWEEN TRACHEAL LIGATION ANDI CERVICAL CORD SECTION ON LUNG DEVELOPMENT IN THE FETAL RABBIT. Pediatr Res 12 (Suppl 4), 572 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197804001-01254
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197804001-01254