Methodology
Glucocorticoids Influence on CFTR Because chloride is a major component in the fluid that is secreted from pulmonary epithelial cells, it plays an essential role for the development of fetal lungs. It was previously found that as birth approaches, CFTR levels decline sand cortisol levels increase. Which is why this study investigates the effect of glucocorticoids on the chloride channels in the lungs. In this procedure, fetal distal lung epithelial (FDLE) cells were isolated from 19-20 day gestation fetal rats and cultured, as well as adult alveolar type II cells, and primary airway epithelial cells (from the trachea closest to the bronchial bifurcation). The FDLE cells were incubated with varying amounts of dexamethasone, …show more content…
They were intraperitoneally injected with anesthesia and heparin. A weight was taken on the fetuses, oxygen was immediately delivered to the lungs via an ET tube and CPAP machine, and their body temperature was maintained. Then the fetuses were then disconnected from the CPAP machine to deflate the lungs by aspirating them with 5% bovine serum albumin. This was done slowly and repeated to ensure that the lung fluid and solution was well mixed. The CPAP was reconnected and a sample of the fluid mixture was taken after one hour for protein analysis. Because in normal fetal lungs, the chloride levels in the fetal fluid is relatively high and the protein content is low, it was assumed that the fetuses’ epithelium would be impermeable to large protein molecules like albumin. This knowledge allowed them to determine how much fluid was either secreted or absorbed from the volume and concentration of the serum added and the initial concertation of the lung fluid. It’s a basic dilution factor calculation. The same procedure was also carried out with another group of guinea pig fetuses that were treated with MβCD instead of IL-1β. MβCD has been previously known to restore pulmonary