(482c) The Effect of Serum Proteins and Hydrophilic Polymers on the Transport of Model Lung Surfactant

Inactivation of model lung surfactant (LS) by serum proteins and subsequent inactivation reversal by hydrophilic polymers is investigated with a Langmuir trough and fluorescence microscopy. These experiments are compared with a novel LS transport theory based on Smoluchowski's theory of slow colloidal aggregation with a potential energy barrier. While the serum proteins increase the energy barrier due to steric and electrostatic effects, the polymer generates a depletion potential to reduce the energy barrier. Results show that inactivation reversal scales with polymer concentration as predicted and fluorescence images show distinct morphological changes as inactivation reversal occurs. This work has applications in developing a next generation, inactivation-resistant LS which will serve as therapy for lung diseases such as Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome and asthma.