Articles

MORPHOLOGICAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL STUDY OF THE EFFECT OF HISTAMINE ON THE ISOLATED PERFUSED RABBIT LUNG

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Abstract

Histamine causes interstitial pulmonary edema, but whether this is the re ult of an increased permeability of the pulmonary circulation or only of the bronchial circulation remains to be determined. In order to selectively study the effect of histamine on the pulmonary circulation we used an isolated perfused rabbit lung preparation because in this species, the bronchial circulation is poorly developed. Edema formation was assessed by continuously monitoring the weight of the lung perfused at constant pressure . These studies were supplemented by electron microscopic observations using hemoglobin ultrastructural tracer for microvascular permeability. We found that histamine (8.0 ~ µg / 100 ml perfusate) did not cause lung weight to increase. Ultrastructural studies showed that histamtine, at this dosage, did not cause a greater leakage of hemoglobin than occurred in the control lungs. Thus, we have concluded that histamine does not increase the permeability of the pulmonary microcirculation in the isolated perfused rabbit lung.

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How to Cite: Pietra, G. , Magno, M. & Johns, L. (1979) “MORPHOLOGICAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL STUDY OF THE EFFECT OF HISTAMINE ON THE ISOLATED PERFUSED RABBIT LUNG”, Lymphology. 12(3).