Ultrastructure of pulmonary microvasculature in acute endotoxemia

Dogs were injected intravenously with E_. coli endotoxin (2 mg/kg), and lung samples were taken at 15 min., 1 hr. and 24 hrs. At 15 min., occlusion of pulmonary capillaries by degranulating platelets and polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PML) was evident (Fig. 1). Capillary endothelium was intact but endothelial damage in small arteries and arterioles, accompanied by intraalveolar hemorrhage, was frequent (Fig. 2). Sloughing of the surfactant layer from alveolar epithelium was evident (Fig. 1). At 1 hr., platelet-PML plugs were no longer seen in capillaries, the endothelium of which was often vacuolated (Fig. 3). Interstitial edema and destruction of alveolar epithelium were seen, and type II cells had discharged their granules into the alveoli (Fig. 4). At 24 hr. phagocytic PML's were frequent in peripheral alveoli, while centrally, alveoli and vessels were packed with fibrin thrombi and PML's (Fig. 5). In similar dogs rendered thrombocytopenic with anti-platelet serum, lung ultrastructure was similar to that of controls, although PML's were more frequently seen in capillaries in the former (Fig. 6).