Journal article
Why inhaling salt water changes what we exhale
Journal of colloid and interface science, Vol.307(1), pp.71-78
2007
DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2006.11.017
PMID: 17161415
Abstract
We find that inhaling salt water diminishes subsequently exhaled biomaterial in man and animals due to reversible stabilization of the airway lining fluid (ALF)/air interface as a novel potential means for control of the spread of airborne infectious disease. The mechanism of this phenomenon relates to charge shielding of mucin or mucin-like macromolecules that consequently undergo gelation; this gelation alters the physical properties of the ALF surface and reduces its breakup. Cations in the nebulized solution and apparent surface viscoelasticity of the ALF (more than any other ALF intrinsic physical property) appear to be responsible for the reduced tendency of the ALF to disintegrate into very small droplets. We confirm these effects in vivo and show their reversibility through nebulization of saline solutions to anesthetized bull calves.
In vitro and in vivo experiments indicate that the delivery of salt water onto airway lining fluid (ALF) stabilizes the interface through a surface gelation of the mucus. Apparent surface viscoelasticity of the ALF, more than any other intrinsic ALF physical property, appears responsible for the reduced propensity of the ALF to disintegrate into very small droplets.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Why inhaling salt water changes what we exhale
- Creators
- Wiwik Watanabe - PulmatrixMatthew Thomas - PulmatrixRobert Clarke - PulmatrixAlexander M Klibanov - Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyRobert Langer - Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyJeffrey Katstra - PulmatrixGerald G Fuller - Stanford UniversityLester C Griel - Pennsylvania State UniversityJennifer Fiegel - Harvard UniversityDavid Edwards - Harvard University
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Journal of colloid and interface science, Vol.307(1), pp.71-78
- Publisher
- Elsevier Inc
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.jcis.2006.11.017
- PMID
- 17161415
- ISSN
- 0021-9797
- eISSN
- 1095-7103
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 2007
- Academic Unit
- Pharmaceutical Sciences and Experimental Therapeutics; Chemical and Biochemical Engineering
- Record Identifier
- 9984197242202771
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