Secretion of lung fluid by the developing fetal rat alveolar epithelium in organ culture.

We studied lung explants in submersion organ culture to examine the role of the developing fetal alveolar epithelium in the production of lung fluid. Fourteen-day-gestation fetal rat lungs were grown in a collagen gel matrix supplemented with F-12 media and 10% fetal calf serum. In this model, the lung continues to grow, secrete fluid, and become progressively cystic in morphology. There is gradual thinning of the distal epithelial layer, which is lined by alveolar type II cells and their precursors. After 6 to 8 days in culture, we impaled the cyst walls with a microelectrode and continuously recorded the transepithelial potential (psi t). Stable, baseline transepithelial potentials of -1.1 to -6.2 mV (mean +/- SEM = -3.3 +/- 0.11 mV, lumen negative, n = 34) were measured in bicarbonate-buffered Ringer's solution, suggesting active electrolyte transport. When bumetanide, an inhibitor of chloride secretion in other systems, was added to the bathing solution, psi t decreased from a baseline of -3.5 +/- 0.07 mV (mean +/- SEM) to a value of -2.2 +/- 0.07 mV, suggesting chloride transport contributes to the voltage (n = 18, P less than 0.0005). Isoproterenol hyperpolarized psi t from a baseline of -4.3 +/- 1.0 mV to -6.5 +/- 1.0 mV (n = 7, P less than 0.005). 8-(4-Chlorophenylthio) adenosine 3':5'cyclic monophosphate (CPT-cAMP) plus isobutylmethylxanthine (IBMX) similarly hyperpolarized psi t from a baseline of -4.6 +/- 0.4 mV to -7.3 +/- 0.7 mV (n = 11, P less than 0.005). Addition of bumetanide after stimulation with isoproterenol or CPT-cAMP/IBMX depolarized psi t.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)