The metabolism of isolated pneumocytes from rabbit lung

Abstract

Isolated pneumocytes from peripheral rabbit lung were prepared with the aid of collagenase. This preparation contains about 40% alveolar cells, the remainder being either small round cells (35%) or unidentified. This preparation can potentially serve for the isolation of homogenous populations of cells. The pneumocytes oxidize glucose-1-14C and glucose-6-14C to 14CO2 with C1: C6 ratio of 7. Succinate-2,3-14Coxidation to 14CO2 is inhibited by malonate. The pneumocytes also incorporate palmitate-9, 10-3H into phospholipids, lecithin having the highest specific activity. The rate of these metabolic activities was comparable to that in slices.