The alveolar type II epithelial cell: a multifunctional pneumocyte.

Details

• Personal Author:
  Castranova, Vincent ; Miles PR ; Rabovsky J ; Tucker JH
• Description:
  Methods for obtaining purified preparations of alveolar type-II cells were described, and data on the properties and functions of type-II cells were reviewed. Four methods for isolation and purification of type-II cells were discussed: density gradient centrifugation yielding 0.6 million cells per rat with a purity of 90 percent; density gradient centrifugation at a lower purity (80 percent) and higher yield (28 million cells per rat) followed by purification by differential adherence resulting in preparations of 92 percent purity and a seeding efficiency of 68 percent; centrifugal elutriation yielding 10 million cells per rat with 85 percent purity; and unit gravity sedimentation giving 90 percent type-II cells, 9 million per rat. Four functions of type-II cells were reviewed: synthesis and secretion of surfactant critical to normal lung function, with the major function of decreasing the surface tension at the air to liquid interface of the lung; a site for metabolism of foreign substances (xenobiotics), including drugs and environmental pollutants; a major mechanism of the cytochrome-P- 450 dependent monooxygenase system, which catalyzed the monooxygenation of a wide variety of lipophilic substances, and which was localized in the microsomal fraction of type-II cells and also bronchiolar nonciliated Clara cells; and the important role of type-II cells in transepithelial water movement, which was necessary to maintain the alveoli in a dry condition that minimized the distance between the alveolar air space and the pulmonary capillary blood. Type-II cells responded to exposure to high oxygen (7782447) concentrations with increased mitotic activity, with probable dedifferentiation to type-I cells, thus enhancing the lung's ability to recover from oxygen overexposure. The authors conclude that type- II cellular preparations afford bioassay systems to monitor the effects of occupational or environmental pollutants on alveolar pneumocytes and should yield important information on the etiology of pulmonary disease. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Biological Assay Environmental Exposure Environmental Pollution Irritants Laboratories Lung Occupational Health Respiratory System Respiratory Tract Diseases Safety
• Keywords:
  Alveolar-cells Bioassays Cell-function Environmental-pollution In-vitro-studies Laboratory-animals Laboratory-techniques Lung-cells Lung-tissue Microsomal-enzymes NIOSH-Author Pulmonary-system-disorders Respiratory-irritants Surface-properties

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• ISSN:
  0041-008X
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  OSHA Region 3 ; West Virginia
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  DRDS - Division of Respiratory Disease Studies
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  472-483
• Volume:
  93
• Issue:
  3
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:00181302
• Citation:
  Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 1988 May; 93(3):472-483
• CAS Registry Number:
  Oxygen (CAS RN 7782-44-7)
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  1988
• NORA Priority Area:
  Pulmonary System Disorders
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Source Full Name:
  Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:bb14e206e1400964c12cc4d2d20f4eef38f77939dbae3a5443f7ea71d69e101b50214a7f539cdfee76bf57ec749df7684f6ef9ccd5fdc4e03a7313067850fcca
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/185586/cdc_185586_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 5.38 MB ]