PULMONARY ALVEOLAR PROTEINOSIS: ELECTRON-MICROSCOPIC, HISTOCHEMICAL, AND SURFACE-TENSION OBSERVATIONS

• Main Authors: Kuhn, Charles, III, Gyorkey, Ferenc, Levine, Bernard E, Ramirez-R, Jose
• Format: Report
• Language: English
• Subjects: ALVEOLI; BIOLOGICAL STAINS; CELLS(BIOLOGY); CYTOLOGY; CYTOPLASM; ENZYMES; HISTOLOGICAL TECHNIQUES; LEUKOCYTES; LIPIDS; LUNG; Medicine and Medical Research; PHOSPHOLIPIDS; RABBITS; SURFACE TENSION

This report presents results of electron-microscopic, histochemical, and surface-tension studies of lung samples diseased with alveolar proteinosis. Tissur preparation for each of the studies is described. Material filling the alveoli, when examined by electron microscope, contained a background of finely granulated material with poorly defined, stacked-lamina, or homogeneous structures. Granular pneumocytes covered portions of plump, cuboidal walls and secreted lamellar inclusions. Well-preserved granular pneumocytes contained lipid droplets in the cytoplasm. Lipid stain showed deeply stained, large droplets in the free cells and diffuse staining in alveolar epithelium. Hematin stain for phospholipid showed staining of coarse granules in free cells, darker staining of coarse granules of free cells in the alveoli, and intense staining of the material. Reactions were localized in the cell membrane, near the cell surface in large, particulate deposits and in intra-alveolar material containing deposits of reaction product for alkaline phosphatase, acid phosphatase, and esterase treatments, respectively. Surface-tension studies showed that extracts from tissue with alveolar proteinosis could not sustain low surface tension when subjected to surface compression. Surface activity of normal and rabbit-lung tissue extracts was inhibited by the addition of diseased tissues. (Author)