Effect of fibroblast-pneumonocyte factor on the synthesis of surfactant phospholipids in type II cells from fetal rat lung.

The effect of fibroblast-pneumonocyte factor on the formation of surfactant-associated phospholipids was studied in fetal rat lung type II cells in primary culture. Exposure of the cells to fibroblast-pneumonocyte factor enhanced the incorporation of radioactively labelled choline, glycerol and palmitate into total and saturated phosphatidylcholine. Fibroblast-pneumonocyte factor also stimulated the formation of phosphatidylglycerol from labelled glycerol and palmitate but did not significantly affect the synthesis of the other phospholipids. This indicates that fibroblast-pneumonocyte factor specifically stimulates the production of surfactant lipids in fetal lung.