Sperimentazione su pneumociti tipo II per la conservazione del polmone in funzione del trapianto : soluzioni idroelettrolitiche a confronto

Limited availability of donor organs is a major factor restricting the clinical application of lung transplantation. Improvements in presentation techniques are essential to prolong storage time and improve lung function following transplantation. With the aim of studing the techniques of pulmonary preservation we used primary cultures of adult rats alveolar type II epithelial cells on which we compared two solutions (Eurocollins and Ringer Lactate) with different composition (intracellular versus extracellular fluid solution). Type II cells were isolated using the modified Dobbs method (J Clin Invest 1979; 63:378-387). Cells were then exposed to EC and RL for 8 h at different temperatures (37°C and 4°C). After such incubation period, cell viability was checked by evaluation of the following two parameters: the percentage of cells still adherent to the culture surface detected by mean of Trypan blue exclusion; protein synthesis assay by measuring 3 H leucine uptake during a one hour incorporation period at 37°C. The results show that, at the temperature of 37°C, tested solutions are not satisfactory for the maintenance of viability. Ringer lactate at 4°C is more effective than Eurocollins solution at the same temperature for the purpose, as revealed by the better vital parameters achieved with the first way of preservation.