Alveolar Surface Tension and Surfactant in the Compliance of the Lungs
Alveolar Surface Tension and Surfactant in the Compliance of the Lungs
Alveolar surface tension is important for the lungs to function efficiently. Surfactant is a lining in the alveoli made of lipids and proteins. Surface tension of the alveoli are important to keep the alveoli shape, but surfactant is needed to regulate surface tension. Also surface tension promotes movement of fluids across the alveolar membrane, therefore the surfactant also regulates the movement of fluids.
Attraction of the molecules in the fluid film within the alveoli is what causes surface tension. The water molecules have a higher attraction to each other than the air in the surrounding area causes the fluid film to take up the smallest area possible. Therefore as surface tension force increases alveoli area decreases. Surfactant plays a large part into preventing lung collapse because it lowers surface tension allowing for the alveoli area to increase. If surfactant didn’t regulate the surface tension, then the alveoli would collapse causing lung collapse. Without surface tension the alveoli then are more likely to expand and cause lysing of the alveoli. Either way, surfactant plays an important role in stabilizing the alveolar size.
Not only does surface tension regulate alveolar size, but it also supports the facilitation of gas exchange and the facilitation or prevention of other materials moving across the alveolar membrane. If surface tension force increases then less movement can happen across the alveolar membrane. This is due to the attraction of the fluid membrane’s molecules. When the attraction between the molecules is strong, then the membrane will be more compact because the molecules will be closer together. As stated before the alveolar area is indirectly related to the surface tension force, so if the surface tension force increases, the area must decrease allowing less room for movement across the membrane. This decrease in fluid movement is caused by hydrophobic
Alveolar surface tension is important for the lungs to function efficiently. Surfactant is a lining in the alveoli made of lipids and proteins. Surface tension of the alveoli are important to keep the alveoli shape, but surfactant is needed to regulate surface tension. Also surface tension promotes movement of fluids across the alveolar membrane, therefore the surfactant also regulates the movement of fluids.
Attraction of the molecules in the fluid film within the alveoli is what causes surface tension. The water molecules have a higher attraction to each other than the air in the surrounding area causes the fluid film to take up the smallest area possible. Therefore as surface tension force increases alveoli area decreases. Surfactant plays a large part into preventing lung collapse because it lowers surface tension allowing for the alveoli area to increase. If surfactant didn’t regulate the surface tension, then the alveoli would collapse causing lung collapse. Without surface tension the alveoli then are more likely to expand and cause lysing of the alveoli. Either way, surfactant plays an important role in stabilizing the alveolar size.
Not only does surface tension regulate alveolar size, but it also supports the facilitation of gas exchange and the facilitation or prevention of other materials moving across the alveolar membrane. If surface tension force increases then less movement can happen across the alveolar membrane. This is due to the attraction of the fluid membrane’s molecules. When the attraction between the molecules is strong, then the membrane will be more compact because the molecules will be closer together. As stated before the alveolar area is indirectly related to the surface tension force, so if the surface tension force increases, the area must decrease allowing less room for movement across the membrane. This decrease in fluid movement is caused by hydrophobic