Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, Complutense University, Madrid, Spain.
Research Institute "Hospital 12 de Octubre", Complutense University, Madrid, Spain.
Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed. 2019 Jul;104(4):F443-F451. doi: 10.1136/archdischild-2018-315413. Epub 2018 Dec 14.
Pulmonary surfactant (PS) is a lipid-protein complex essential to stabilise the delicate structure of mammalian alveoli along with successive compression-expansion respiratory cycles. To do so, surfactant reduces dramatically surface tension at the air-liquid interface, an activity that depends critically on a proper lipid composition and the presence of some specific surfactant proteins. Lack or dysfunction of this system is associated with severe respiratory pathologies, which are in some cases treated by supplementation with exogenous surfactant materials. The biophysical function and performance of PS, in health and disease, are directly influenced by its composition, structure and mechanical properties. This review summarises the main biophysics concepts behind the mechanisms that define surfactant function in a healthy lung and in pathological situations. It also revises some of the most useful biophysical techniques that provide information about surfactant-related processes. Finally, translational biophysics will be invoked to illustrate how biophysical studies may contribute to understand the role of surfactant in health and disease and to design better surfactant-based therapeutic approaches.
肺表面活性剂（PS）是一种脂质-蛋白质复合物，对于稳定哺乳动物肺泡的精细结构以及连续的压缩-扩张呼吸循环至关重要。为此，表面活性剂大大降低了气液界面的表面张力，这种活性严重依赖于适当的脂质组成和某些特定的表面活性剂蛋白的存在。该系统的缺乏或功能障碍与严重的呼吸道疾病有关，在某些情况下，通过补充外源性表面活性剂物质来治疗。PS 的生物物理功能和性能在健康和疾病中，直接受到其组成、结构和机械性能的影响。本综述总结了定义健康肺和病理情况下表面活性剂功能的机制背后的主要生物物理概念。它还回顾了一些最有用的生物物理技术，这些技术提供了有关表面活性剂相关过程的信息。最后，将调用转化生物物理学来说明生物物理研究如何有助于理解表面活性剂在健康和疾病中的作用，并设计更好的基于表面活性剂的治疗方法。
