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CLINICAL SCIENCE |

The Fine Structure of the Normal Human Alveolocapillary Membrane

Matthew B. Divertie, MD; Arnold L. Brown, Jr., MD
[+] Author Affiliations

Read before the Section on Diseases of the Chest at the 112th Annual Meeting of the American Medical Association, Atlantic City, NJ, June 17, 1963.


Rochester, Minn

From the Section of Medicine (Dr. Divertie) and the Section of Experimental and Anatomic Pathology (Dr. Brown) Mayo Clinic and Mayo Foundation.


JAMA. 1964;187(12):938-941. doi:10.1001/jama.1964.03060250056012
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When WILLIAM ADDISON1 suggested in 1842 that the pulmonary alveoli might be lined by a continuous epithelium, he touched off a controversy which continued for the next 100 years. In 1947 the late William Snow Miller2 in his monograph The Lung stated emphatically that an epithelial lining did exist, but he conceded that there was still a great deal of disagreement on the subject. Among those who agreed that an epithelial lining was present in the normal alveoli, further differences of opinion existed as to whether this was a continuous epithelial lining of nucleated cells or whether small cuboidal nucleated cells were interspersed with non-nucleated plaques. As recently as 1954,3 the conclusion following an electron microscopic study carried out on rat lung was that the evidence for existence of a continuous epithelial lining or of alveolar lining plaques was lacking. Since that time electron microscopic studies have

REFERENCES

Addison, W.:  On Ultimate Distribution of Air-Passages, and Formation of Air-Cells of Lungs , Roy Soc Philosoph Tr 12:157-163, 1842;.
Miller, W.S.: The Lung , Springfield, Ill: Charles C Thomas, 1947;.
Swigart, R.H., and Kane, D.J.:  Electron Microscopic Observations of Pulmonary Alveoli , Anat Rec 118:57-63 ( (Jan) ) 1954;.
Low, F.N.:  Electron Microscopy of Rat Lung , Anat Rec 113:437-443 ( (Aug) ) 1952;.
Karrer, H.E.:  Electronmicroscopic Study of Fine Structure of Pulmonary Capillaries and Alveoli of Mouse: Preliminary Report , Bull Hopkins Hosp 98:65-71, 1956;.
Itagi, K.:  Electron Microscopic Observation of Pulmonary Alveolar Structures , Acta Tuberc Jap 5:35-52 ( (Dec) ) 1955;.
Policard, A., et al:  L'alvéole pulmonaire au microscope électronique , Presse Med 62:1775-1777 ( (Dec) ) 1954;.
Schlipköter, H.W.:  Elektronenoptische Untersuchungen ultradunner Lugenschnitte , Deutsch Med Wschr 79:1858-1859 ( (Nov) ) 1954;.
Luft, J.H.:  Improvements in Epoxy Resin Embedding Methods , J Biophys Biochem Cytol 9:409-414 ( (Feb) ) 1961;.
Sjöstrand, F.S., and Rhodin, J.:  Ultrastructure of Proximal Convoluted Tubules of Mouse Kidney as Revealed by High Resolution Electron Microscopy , Exp Cell Res 4: 426-456, 1953;.
Kurtz, S.M.:  Fine Structure of Lamina Densa , Lab Invest 10:1189-1208 ( (Nov) -Dec) 1961;.
Pierce, G.B., Jr.; Midgley, A.R., Jr.; and Ram, J.S.:  Histogenesis of Basement Membranes , Fed Proc 22:256 ( (March) -April) 1963;.
Rhodin, J.A.G.:  Diaphragm of Capillary Endothelial Fenestrations , J Ultrastruct Res 6:171-184 ( (April) ) 1962;.
Woodside, G.L., and Dalton, A.J.:  Ultrastructure of Lung Tissue From Newborn and Embryo Mice , J Ultrastruct Res 2:28-54 ( (Nov) ) 1958;.
Karrer, H.E.:  Electron Microscopic Study of Phagocytosis Process in Lung , J Biophys Biochem Cytol 7:357-366 ( (April) ) 1960;.
Robertson, J.D.:  Ultrastructure of Cell Membranes and Their Derivatives , Biochem Soc Sympos 16:3-43 ( (Feb) ) 1959;.
Klaus, M.H.; Clements, J.A.; and Havel, R.J.:  Composition of Surface-Active Material Isolated From Beef Lung , Proc Nat Acad Sci USA 47:1858-1859 ( (Nov) ) 1961;.
Klaus, M., et al:  Alveolar Epithelial Cell Mitochondria as Source of Surface-Active Lung Lining , Science 137:750-751 ( (Sept) ) 1962;.
Fawcett, D.W.:  Membranes of Cytoplasm , Lab Invest 10:1162-1188 ( (Nov) -Dec) 1961;.
Chinard, F.P.; Enns, T.; and Nolan, M.F.:  Permeability Characteristics of Alveolar Capillary Barrier , Trans Ass Amer Physicians 75:253-262, 1962;.

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Addison, W.:  On Ultimate Distribution of Air-Passages, and Formation of Air-Cells of Lungs , Roy Soc Philosoph Tr 12:157-163, 1842;.
Miller, W.S.: The Lung , Springfield, Ill: Charles C Thomas, 1947;.
Swigart, R.H., and Kane, D.J.:  Electron Microscopic Observations of Pulmonary Alveoli , Anat Rec 118:57-63 ( (Jan) ) 1954;.
Low, F.N.:  Electron Microscopy of Rat Lung , Anat Rec 113:437-443 ( (Aug) ) 1952;.
Karrer, H.E.:  Electronmicroscopic Study of Fine Structure of Pulmonary Capillaries and Alveoli of Mouse: Preliminary Report , Bull Hopkins Hosp 98:65-71, 1956;.
Itagi, K.:  Electron Microscopic Observation of Pulmonary Alveolar Structures , Acta Tuberc Jap 5:35-52 ( (Dec) ) 1955;.
Policard, A., et al:  L'alvéole pulmonaire au microscope électronique , Presse Med 62:1775-1777 ( (Dec) ) 1954;.
Schlipköter, H.W.:  Elektronenoptische Untersuchungen ultradunner Lugenschnitte , Deutsch Med Wschr 79:1858-1859 ( (Nov) ) 1954;.
Luft, J.H.:  Improvements in Epoxy Resin Embedding Methods , J Biophys Biochem Cytol 9:409-414 ( (Feb) ) 1961;.
Sjöstrand, F.S., and Rhodin, J.:  Ultrastructure of Proximal Convoluted Tubules of Mouse Kidney as Revealed by High Resolution Electron Microscopy , Exp Cell Res 4: 426-456, 1953;.
Kurtz, S.M.:  Fine Structure of Lamina Densa , Lab Invest 10:1189-1208 ( (Nov) -Dec) 1961;.
Pierce, G.B., Jr.; Midgley, A.R., Jr.; and Ram, J.S.:  Histogenesis of Basement Membranes , Fed Proc 22:256 ( (March) -April) 1963;.
Rhodin, J.A.G.:  Diaphragm of Capillary Endothelial Fenestrations , J Ultrastruct Res 6:171-184 ( (April) ) 1962;.
Woodside, G.L., and Dalton, A.J.:  Ultrastructure of Lung Tissue From Newborn and Embryo Mice , J Ultrastruct Res 2:28-54 ( (Nov) ) 1958;.
Karrer, H.E.:  Electron Microscopic Study of Phagocytosis Process in Lung , J Biophys Biochem Cytol 7:357-366 ( (April) ) 1960;.
Robertson, J.D.:  Ultrastructure of Cell Membranes and Their Derivatives , Biochem Soc Sympos 16:3-43 ( (Feb) ) 1959;.
Klaus, M.H.; Clements, J.A.; and Havel, R.J.:  Composition of Surface-Active Material Isolated From Beef Lung , Proc Nat Acad Sci USA 47:1858-1859 ( (Nov) ) 1961;.
Klaus, M., et al:  Alveolar Epithelial Cell Mitochondria as Source of Surface-Active Lung Lining , Science 137:750-751 ( (Sept) ) 1962;.
Fawcett, D.W.:  Membranes of Cytoplasm , Lab Invest 10:1162-1188 ( (Nov) -Dec) 1961;.
Chinard, F.P.; Enns, T.; and Nolan, M.F.:  Permeability Characteristics of Alveolar Capillary Barrier , Trans Ass Amer Physicians 75:253-262, 1962;.
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