POSTNATAL DEVELOPMENT OF BRONCHIOLOAR EPITHELIUM

我们的长期目标是进行实验， 了解围产期（主要是产后）的成熟， 肺的小传导气道（细支气管）的上皮。 这 目标是我们长期以来对细支气管Clara的兴趣的产物 cell. 我们选择了探索出生后的发展， 细支气管上皮细胞，因为1）我们的初步研究结果表明， 在大鼠中，这种上皮的成熟在很大程度上是早期的， 出生后事件，2）因为克拉拉细胞成熟的知识， 支气管上皮的成人组成的实现， 对这些发育过程的调节实际上是不存在的 以及，3）因为这些气道是婴儿的主要疾病的部位， 成年人了 我们更具体的目标是试图确定哪些因素（S） 发出Clara细胞成熟起始的信号（如通过 糖原含量下降， 它们的分泌颗粒和粗面内质网），并确定 如果存在细胞成熟的“关键期”， 细支气管 我们希望利用光来实现我们的特定目标， 透射电子显微镜，形态测量和知识的 肺发育 我们认为我们能够实现目标，因为我们有 我们计划使用的许多程序的经验，因为 我们的前期工作是有一个稳固和合理的基础。 拟议的研究应提供关于一个很少研究的领域的信息， 并可能为慢性疾病的发展提供风险因素的洞察力。 儿童和成人的阻塞性肺病， 用于改善新生儿的保健。

Our long range goal is to perform experiments that will increase our understanding of the perinatal (mainly postnatal) maturation of the epithelium of small conducting airways (bronchioles) of the lung. This goal is an outgrowth of our long standing interest in the bronchiolar Clara cell. We have chosen to explore the postnatal development of the epithelium of bronchioles because 1) our preliminary findings indicate that in rats the maturation of this epithelium is in great part an early postnatal event, 2) because knowledge of the maturation of Clara cells and of the attainment of the adult composition of bronchiolar epithelium and the regulation of these developmental processes is virtually nonexistant and, 3) because these airways are sites of major diseases in infants and adults. Our more specific aims are to attempt to determine which factor(s) signals the initiation of maturation of Clara cells (as determined by a fall in their glycogen content and an increase in the volume fraction of their secretory granules and rough endoplasmic reticulum) and to determine if there is a "critical period" for the maturation of cells in bronchioles. We hope to achieve our specific aims using light and transmission electron microscopy, morphometry and knowledge of the developing lung. We think we can achieve our goals because we have experience with many of the procedures we plan to use and because the proposed studies have a firm and rational base in our preliminary work. The proposed study should provide information about an area little studied, and may provide insight into risk factors for the development of chronic obstructive lung disease in children and adults and may eventually be applied to improve the health care of neonates.