Morphometrics of rapidly frozen goose lungs.

To understand the structural basis of avian gas exchange better, we made a morphometric study of domestic and Canada goose lungs. The volume of glutaraldehyde-fixed domestic goose lungs (30 cm3/kg body weight) was similar to that determined from silicone casts of Canada goose lungs by Duncker (33 cm3/kg). To examine finer structures, we rapidly froze goose lungs under physiologic conditions, fixed tissue samples by a freeze substitution procedure and analyzed samples with stereological methods. From light micrographs we determined that about 55% of the lung is parabronchi in both species. Volume densities of air capillaries, blood capillaries and tissue and surface:volume ratios of these same structures were determined from electron micrographs. Our measurements agree with those from glutaraldehyde-fixed Canada goose lungs from other laboratories. Gas exchange surface area was largest in the good flier (Canada goose) but both birds had larger surface areas than comparably sized mammals. The harmonic mean blood-gas barrier thickness is smaller in both species of birds (0.3 microns) than in mammals. Thus, membrane diffusing capacities for gases should be larger in birds than in mammals. Pulmonary blood capillary transit time, as calculated from blood capillary volume and normal levels of cardiac output, are longer in birds than in mammals and should allow more time for blood-gas equilibrium. Pleats and folds were frequently observed in air and blood capillaries, suggesting that the avian lung may not be as rigid as was previously thought and that capillary volumes and surface areas may change under physiologic conditions.