Fig. 5 | Laboratory Investigation

Fig. 5

From: Surfactant dysfunction and alveolar collapse are linked with fibrotic septal wall remodeling in the TGF-β1-induced mouse model of pulmonary fibrosis

Fig. 5

Surfactant replacement therapy and septal wall remodeling. In a, representative ultrastructural findings regarding the composition of septal walls are depicted. In both Saline D14 and Surf D14, the amount of collagen fibrils (*) and residual ECM ( + ) seem to be higher as compared to the healthy control in Fig. 3a. In the center of the septa and surrounded by capillaries, profiles of lamellar body containing cells are visible (AE2). In b, further examples of AE2 cells are illustrated and the size and number of lamellar bodies (LB) appear to be higher in the Surf D14 example. Of note, lamellar body containing cells within the alveolar septa are often colocalized with increased volumes of ECM components (*collagen fibrils + rECM). The following parameters are visualized: total volume of collagen fibrils within septal walls (c), total volume of extracellular matrix components other than collagen fibrils within septal walls (d), the hydroxyproline level per lung (e), total volume of interstitial cells within septal walls (f), the total volume of capillary lumen within septal walls (g), and the total volume of alveolar fluid/edema (h). With the exception of e, electron microscopically obtained stereological data characterizing the composition of the septa are given in ch. Individual data and mean are given in ch. AdTGF-β1: adenoviral vector mediated gene transfer of active TGF-β1. Scale bar in a and b: 2 µm. Abbreviations: air: distal airspace, cap: capillary lumen, AE2: alveolar epithelial type 2 cell, LB: lamellar body

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