Decorin is required for the normal fibrillogenesis and spatial arrangement of collagen. As collagen is important in determining the elastic behaviour of the lung, we hypothesized that lung tissue mechanics would be altered in decorin deficient (Dcn-/-) mice. Complex impedance, pressure-volume curves, and length-stress curves of lung parenchyma were measured in C57BL/6 mice, 6 Dcn-/- and 6 wildtype ( Dcn+/+), both in vivo and in vitro. Immunohistochemistry and Western blotting were performed to identify decorin and biglycan in the lung tissues. In vivo, airway resistance was decreased and lung compliance was increased in Dcn-/- mice. In vitro, length-stress curves showed increased compliance in the Dcn-/- mice. Immunohistochemistry showed decorin staining in the airway and vessel walls of Dcn+/+ but not Dcn-/- mice; Western blots showed that biglycan levels were not different in the Dcn-/- mice. These data support a critical role for decorin in the formation of the lung collagen network. Lack of decorin alters lung tissue mechanical behaviour. Additionally, the data from Dcn+/+ mice were compared to those from other species, and is consistent with the evidence in the literature that mouse lungs differ structurally from other species. Finally, differences observed in vivo vs. in vitro suggest that measurements made in the strip more accurately reflect lung tissue properties.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:QMM.80268 |
| Date | January 2003 |
| Creators | Fust, Anita |
| Contributors | Ludwig, Mara S. (advisor) |
| Publisher | McGill University |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Coverage | Master of Science (Department of Physiology.) |
| Rights | All items in eScholarship@McGill are protected by copyright with all rights reserved unless otherwise indicated. |
| Relation | alephsysno: 002032379, proquestno: AAIMQ98637, Theses scanned by UMI/ProQuest. |
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