Morphometric Study of Papain-induced Pulmonary Emphysema

Abstract

Experimental pulmonary emphysema was produced in a mongrel dog by inhalation of aerosolized papain. Histometrical studies demonstrated the development of pulmonary emphysema in dogs similar to panacinar emphysema in humans after inhalation of papain. The alveolar surface area/unit lung volume (S/V) was then determined by the of point counting. method The S/V in emphysematous lungs (n=12) was 75.64±11.52 and that in control lungs 127.64±22.94 (n=13) p<0.001. The distribution of S/V was of a normal pattern both in the emphysematous and control lungs. In spite of the difference in S/V value between the emphysematous and control lungs, the range of standard deviation was almost the same in both groups. The above results suggests that the degree of destruction of alveoli was almost uniform and that the destroyed alveoli were almost evenly destributed within the lobe examined. Neither inflammatory nor fibrotic changes were found in bronchi and bronchioles.