The ultrastructure of multilamellar bodies and surfactant in the human lung.

Normal tissues from human lungs were dehydrated through Epon 812 resin to retain many of the lipids and carbohydrates in thin section. The three-dimensional structure of the multilamellar body was determined. The paired layer of phospholipid heads (PH) is 36 A thick; the layer of fatty-acid tails (FA) is 31 A, the same as reported previously for non-human primates and rodents. The human multilamellar body is apparently unique: the lamellae of the major focus divide into two or three lamellae; the matrix material of the core is without vesicular bodies and a projection core is present. When compared with those of the rat, human tissues contain a greater number of lamellar foci and fewer lamellae per focus. The presence of a peripheral layer of lamellae, an ever-present external limiting membrane, and the fusion of multilamellar bodies are also characteristic. Tubular myelin surfactant has the same appearance as in other mammals. Multilamellar bodies were observed in direct communication with Golgi vesicles. Their origin from multivesicular bodies and their maturation through secretion and exocytosis were demonstrated. Untransformed multilamellar bodies in the alveolar space demonstrated three periodicities (P): (1) compact regular lamellae, PH = 36 A, FA = 36 A, FA = 31 A, P = 66 A; (2) compact broad lamellae, PH = 72 A, FA = 22 A, P = 94 A; (3) loose lamellae, PH = 36 A, FA = 31 A with a variable interlamellar space.