Abstract
Organ cultures of newborn rat lungs synthesize and accumulate DNA, RNA, collagen and noncollagenous proteins almost at a linear rate for at least 5 days. During this period the synthesis of collagen consistently exceeds the synthesis of noncollagenous proteins in a pattern similar to neonatal lung growth in vivo. Although some morphological characteristics of lung architecture are distorted after culture, fundamental structural similarities to lungs growing in intact animals are retained. When these cultures are maintained in atmospheres rich in oxygen, increased collagen synthesis is observed, a response similar to that of lungs in intact animals exposed to high oxygen concentrations in vivo. Our studies suggest that lung organ cultures may be a suitable system for investigating the biochemical aspects of lung tissue-environmental interaction.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Staub, N. C. 1972. Anatomy and physiology of the lung. In: D. H. K. Lee (Ed.),Environmental Factors in Respiratory Disease. Academic Press, New York, pp. 16–30.
Tissue Culture Standards Committe. 1970. In Vitro 6: 93–108.
Rosen, H. 1957. A modified ninhydrin colorimetric analysis for amino acids. Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 67: 10–15.
Woessner, J. F., Jr. 1961. The determination of hydroxyproline in tissue and protein samples containing small proportions of this imino acid. Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 93: 440–447.
Juva, K., and D. J. Prockop. 1966. Modified procedure for the assay of3H or14C-labeled hydroxyproline. Anal. Biochem. 15: 77–83.
Burton, K. 1956. A tudy of the conditions and mechanisms of the diphenylamine reaction for the colorimetric estimation of DNA. Biochem. J. 62: 315–323.
Shatkin, A. J. 1969. Estimation of RNA, DNA and protein by the use of isotopic precursors followed by chemical fractionation. In: K. Habel, and N. P. Salzman (Eds.),Fundamental Techniques in Virology. Academic Press, New York, pp. 238–241.
Sorokin, S. P. 1961. A study in the development in organ cultures of mammalian lungs. Dev. Biol. 3: 60–83.
Rosin, A. 1947. Studies on lung tissue in vitro with specifial reference to the nature of the lining cells of the alveolus. Anat. Rec. 97: 447–470.
Trowell, O. A. 1959. The structure of mature organs in a synthetic medium. Exp. Cell Res. 16: 118–147.
Carson, S. H., W. H. Tauch, Jr., and M. E. Avery. 1973. Inhibition of lung cell division after hydrocortisone injection into fetal rabbits. J. Appl. Physiol. 34: 660–663.
Bradley, K., S. McConnell-Breul, and R. G. Crystal, 1975. Collagen in the human lung. J. Clin. Invest. 55: 543–550.
Chvapil, M., and Y. M. Peng. 1975. Oxygen and lung fibrosis. Arch. Environ. Health 30: 528–532.
Hance, A. J., and R. G. Crystal. 1976. Collagen. In: R. G. Crystal (Ed.),The Biochemical Basis of Pulmonary Function. Marcel Dekker, New York, pp. 215–257.
Bradley, K. H., S. D. McConnell and R. G. Crystal. 1974. Lung collagen composition and synthesis. J. Biol. Chem. 249: 2674–2683.
Adamson, I. Y. R., D.H. Bowden, and J. P. Wyatt. 1970. Oxygen poisoning in mice: Ultrastructural and surfactant studies during exposure and recovery. Arch. Pathol. 90: 463–472.
Bowden, D. H., I. Y. R. Adamson, and J. P. Wyatt. 1968. Reaction of lung cells to high concentration of oxygen. Arch. Pathol. 86: 671–675.
Kistler, G. S., P. R. B. Caldwell, and E. R. Weibel. 1967. Development of fine-structural damage to alveolar and capillary-lining cells in oxygen posioned rat lungs. J. Cell Biol. 32: 602–628.
Evans, M. J., J. D. Hackney, and R. F. Bils. 1969. Effects of a high concentration of oxygen on cell renewal in the pulmonary alveoli. Aerosp. Med. 40: 1365–1368.
Bowden, D. H., and I. Y. R. Adamson. 1971. Reparative changes following pulmonary cell injury: Ultrastructural, cytodynamic and surfactant studies in mice after oxygen exposure. Arch. Pathol. 92: 279–283.
Trowell, O. A. 1959. The structure of mature organs in a synthetic medium. Exp. Cell Res. 16: 118–137.
Adamson, I. Y. R., H. Drummond, and D.H. Bowden. 1975. Reaction of cultured adult and fetal lung to prednisolone and thyroxine. Arch. Pathol. Lab. Med. 99: 80–85.
Adamson, I.Y. R., H. Drummond, and D.H. Bowden. 1976. Pulmonary injury and repair. Arch. Pathol. Lab. Med. 100: 640–643.
Resnick, J. S., D. M. Brown, and R. L. Vernier. 1974. Oxygen toxicity in fetal organ culture: The developing lung. Lab. Invest. 31: 665–677.
Seyer, J. M., E. T. Hutcheson, and A.H. Kang. 1976. Collagen polymorphism in idiopathic chronic pulmonary fibrosis. J. Clin. Invest. 57: 1498–1507.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
These studies were supported in parts by NIH Grant HL-19668, a contract (68-03-2005) from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and grants from the California Lung Association.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Hussain, M.Z., Belton, J.C. & Bhatnagar, R.S. Macromolecular synthesis in organ cultures of neonatal rat lung. In Vitro 14, 740–745 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02617966
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02617966