Early bronchopulmonary lesions in rat lung after normobaric 100% oxygen exposure and their evolution. A light and electron microscopic study.

In order to clarify the early phenomena involved in the lung reaction to hyperoxia, twenty adult male rats were exposed to 100% oxygen at 1 ATA. Morphological pulmonary lesions were detectable after only 24 h hyperoxia, and included vasoconstriction and perivascular oedema, bronchiolar constriction, and pericyte reaction. The lesions were irregularly scattered within the lung parenchyma and occurred preferentially in areas centred on bronchiolo-vascular stems. Even at the latest stages, pulmonary heterogeneity was obvious, from the coexistence of areas damaged at different times. Neuro-epithelial-bodies were found under the bronchiolar epithelium; the morphological aspect of the neuro-endocrine cells observed was consistent with hyperoxia-induced modulation of their secretory activity. Taken together, our findings show the speed of development of hyperoxia-induced pulmonary changes and raise some pathogenic considerations.