Gravimetric and sodium transport characteristics of lungs from BIO 14.6 (dystrophic) hamsters were compared with those of lungs from golden Syrian (normal) hamsters at 30 and 150 days of age. Isolated perfused lungs were used to determine lung permeability and fluid balance differences between normal and dystrophic animals at both ages. Apparent permeability-surface area products for air space-to-vascular space sodium, sucrose, and fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled dextran fluxes were compared in the four groups of hamsters. Morphometric analysis of fixed lungs of representative hamsters from each group was also performed. Dystrophic hamsters exhibited higher lung wet-to-dry weight ratios than normal hamsters at both ages. Lungs from dystrophic hamsters were less sensitive to inhibition of sodium transport by amiloride than lungs from age-matched normal hamsters. Dystrophic hamster lungs had higher absolute permeabilities of the passively transported solutes, lower permeability values for sodium, and only one-half of the amiloride-sensitive sodium transport of lungs from age-matched normal hamsters. Differences in lung fluid balance between dystrophic and normal hamsters may be related to differences in sodium clearance.

Bio 14.6 dystrophic hamsters exhibit alveolar hypoventilation and increased lung hydration. This study evaluated whether age-and genotype-related morphometric differences in lungs exist and correlate with the development of lung pathophysiology. Morphometry was used to characterize lungs of young (Y) and mature (M) control (C) and dystrophic (D) hamsters. With age, both C and D had increased barrier surface area [S(a-b,p)] and morphometric diffusing capacity index [mdci], and decreased harmonic thickness. In C but not D, mean capillary diameter [d c ] and parenchymal volume density [V v (p,L)] increased with age, whereas barrier arithmetic thickness decreased. Chord length increased with age, whereas the ratio of parenchymal surface area to airspace volume [S/V] and the intersection density of the air-blood interface [I v (a-b,s)] decreased in D but not C. At both ages, lung volume relative to body mass was greater in D than C. With that exception, no genotype differences were found in young hamsters. Mature D displayed lower V v (p,L), S/V, d c , I v (a-b,s), S(a-b,p), and mdci than mature C. Independent of age, chord length was greater but arithmetic thickness, airspace surface density, frequency of type II cells, and lamellar body area and volume density were lower in D than C. We conclude: 1) lung volume relative to body growth was greater in dystrophics than controls; 2) parenchymal remodeling was delayed or abnormal in dystro-phics; 3) lower diffusing capacity in mature dystrophics may effect alveolar hypoventilation; 4) lower tissue volume, surface area, and the type II cell abnormalities in dystrophics could reduce sodium and water transport leading to greater lung hydration. Anat Rec 256:321-333, 1999. 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

The purpose of this study was to characterize phloridzin- and amiloride-sensitive transport across blood-gas barrier of hamster and rat lungs. Air spaces of isolated perfused lungs were instilled with a solution containing 22Na or L-[3H]glucose, D-[14C]glucose, and fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled dextran. Apparent permeability-surface area products (PS) were calculated. Phloridzin (Na(+)-dependent D-glucose transport inhibitor) had no effect on D-glucose or sodium transport out of air spaces in hamster lungs. In contrast, in rat lungs, phloridzin decreased PS for D-glucose by 89% and that for Na by 28%. Trapping of 14CO2 in vascular samples was measured to estimate metabolism. Unlabeled air space D-glucose increased appearance of perfused D-[14C]glucose in air spaces of rat lungs. We conclude that Na(+)-dependent D-glucose transport is important for D-glucose uptake in rat lungs but not in hamster lungs. In hamster lungs, amiloride (Na+ transport inhibitor) also decreased PS for sodium, but drugs known to stimulate sodium transport in rat lungs had no effect. Thus, species differences in active transport processes exist in the distal air spaces of mammalian lungs.