结构生物学sturcture biology explore-77.pdfVIP

487 Pulmonary surfactant: phase behavior and function Barbora Piknova*, Vincent Schram† and Stephen B Hall‡ Pulmonary surfactant functions by first flowing rapidly into the higher surface pressures in metastable states if they are alveolar air/water interface, but then resisting collapse from the sufficiently rigid. When compressed by the shrinking surface when the adsorbed interfacial film is compressed alveolar surface area during exhalation, films of pulmonary during exhalation. Widely accepted models emphasize the surfactant reach and sustain surface pressures well above importance of phase behavior in both processes. Recent πe in static lungs maintained at constant volume for at least studies show, however, that fluidity is a relatively minor tens of minutes [2,3]. This characteristic is essential for the determinant of adsorption and that solid films, which resist ability of pulmonary surfactant to stabilize the small air collapse, can form by kinetic processes unrelated to spaces of the lungs. Existing models consider phase behavior equilibrium phase behavior. an essential determinant both of adsorption, during which insertion of surfactant constituents into the interface raises Addresses the surface pressure to πe, and of the metastability that Molecular Medicine, Mail Code NRC-3, Oregon Health Science allows compressed films to avoid collapse and reach surface University, Portland, Oregon 97201-3098, USA pressures above πe. In this review, we consider recent *e-mail: