Objective: We sought to investigate effects of intratracheal albumin injection prior to tracheal occlusion (TO) on lung proliferation in fetal rats with nitrofen-induced congenital diaphragmatic hernia.
Study design: On embryonic day 19, nitrofen-exposed fetuses underwent TO, TO and 50 microL of either intratracheal albumin 20% or saline, or remained untouched. Main outcome at embryonic day 21.5 was expression of the proliferation marker Ki-67. Secondary outcomes were lung-to-bodyweight ratio (LBWR), tropoelastin expression, density and spatial distribution of elastin, pulmonary/alveolar morphometry, and fetal survival.
Results: TO increased Ki-67 messenger RNA and LBWR. Albumin further increased LBWR and density of Ki-67-positive cells but also fetal mortality. TO with or without adjuncts induced elastin deposits at the tips of arising secondary crests, increased air space size, and decreased septal thickness.
Conclusion: TO had effects on lung proliferation and advanced the morphologic appearance. Addition of albumin increased density of proliferating cells and LBWR, yet at the expense of additional fetal loss.
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