Alterations of type II cell microvilli following ozone-induced alveolar injury
Ozone is a major oxidizing constituent in photochemical smog, and it is known to cause, at high concentrations, bronchiolo-al veoar injury with early loss of cilia and desquamation of alveolar type I cells, followed by proliferation of type II cells. In the present study, we investigated the sequential sur face alterations of alveolar type II cells using an established model for ozone-induced alveolar injury and repair.Fisher 344 male rats weighing 260±10g were exposed to 3 ppm ozone for 8 h. The animals were killed at various time intervals, inclduing zero time, 24, 48, and 96 h after termination of ozone exposure. The lungs were inflated at 20cm pressure with 2.5% glutaraldehyde in 0.1M Sorensen's phosphate buffer, ph 7.2, at 37 C for 4 h. Lung slices, 10 x 4 mm x 500 μm, were obtained by random selection from the left lobe, osmicated in 1% phosphate buffered OsO4, for 1 h at 4 C, dehydrated in a graded series of acetone, infiltrated with Freon 113, and critical-point dried using carbon dioxide.