| Abstract: | Electron microscopy showed that colchicin in a total dose of 0.6 mg/100 g body weight of noninbred male white rats inhibited alveolar surfactant secretion into the alveolar lumen in both intact and regenerating lungs. This was associated with a partial or complete alveolar collapse. In the course of inhibition of surfactant secretion, on the apical surface of type II alveolocytes there was an activation of surfactant secretion by way of exocytosis into the interstitial space in the basal part of the cells. Disintegration of the collagenous and elastic fibers as well as disturbance of the membranes occurred in the areas where the material of lipid character and products of its metabolism appeared. A hypothesis is suggested about the possible role of such a disturbance in the character and level of alveolar surfactant secretion in the development of lung abnormality under the effect of the factors inactivating the cytoplasmatic micro tubules. |
