Re: pulmonary surfactant

[brian whatcott <inet@INTELLISYS.NET>]

At 09:57 12/2/99 -0800, Leigh wrote:
> If the alveoli were to behave like soap bubbles (with  surface
> tension independent of area) then they would be unstable, and
> that instability would be in such a direction as to collapse
> them completely, just like the smaller bubble in your example.///
> Leigh

There is a brief discussion of a comparable topic in one of Gordon's
splendid books on structures and materials: this compares the action
 of latex tube with blood vessels. Under increasing pressure latex
 balloons into an aneurism.

The desired effect (which is normally achieved in arterial tissue) is
a distributed increase in cross section. The mechanism is justified in
similar terms, as an anisotropic variation in elastic properties.


brian whatcott <inet@intellisys.net>
Altus OK