Biomaterial Database

Maternal nicotine exposure during gestation and lactation interferes with alveolar development in the neonatal lung. 1998

G S Maritz, and H Dennis

Department of Physiological Sciences, University of the Western Cape, Bellville, South Africa.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of maternal nicotine exposure during pregnancy and lactation on the development of the lungs of the offspring as a gas-exchanger. Pregnant rats received nicotine (1 mg/kg body mass day(-1)) subcutaneously during gestation and lactation. Nicotine administration started one day after mating and lasted until weaning on post natal Day 21. The offspring were exposed to nicotine only via the placenta and the milk of the mother. The lung tissue of the neonates was collected on post natal Days 14, 21, 35 and 42 and prepared for morphometry. The results obtained show that maternal nicotine exposure suppressed alveolarisation in the lungs of the offspring, which resulted in a reduced internal surface area available for gas exchange. The radial alveolar count as well as the number of capillaries in the septa were also significantly lower than in the control animals. It is concluded that maternal nicotine exposure had an adverse effect on the development of the gas exchange region of the lungs of the offspring that persisted at least up to Day 42 after birth.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007774	Lactation	The processes of milk secretion by the maternal MAMMARY GLANDS after PARTURITION. The proliferation of the mammary glandular tissue, milk synthesis, and milk expulsion or let down are regulated by the interactions of several hormones including ESTRADIOL; PROGESTERONE; PROLACTIN; and OXYTOCIN.	Lactation, Prolonged,Milk Secretion,Lactations, Prolonged,Milk Secretions,Prolonged Lactation,Prolonged Lactations
D008176	Lung Volume Measurements	Measurement of the amount of air that the lungs may contain at various points in the respiratory cycle.	Lung Capacities,Lung Volumes,Capacity, Lung,Lung Capacity,Lung Volume,Lung Volume Measurement,Measurement, Lung Volume,Volume, Lung
D008431	Maternal-Fetal Exchange	Exchange of substances between the maternal blood and the fetal blood at the PLACENTA via PLACENTAL CIRCULATION. The placental barrier excludes microbial or viral transmission.	Transplacental Exposure,Exchange, Maternal-Fetal,Exposure, Transplacental,Maternal Fetal Exchange
D009538	Nicotine	Nicotine is highly toxic alkaloid. It is the prototypical agonist at nicotinic cholinergic receptors where it dramatically stimulates neurons and ultimately blocks synaptic transmission. Nicotine is also important medically because of its presence in tobacco smoke.	Nicotine Bitartrate,Nicotine Tartrate
D011247	Pregnancy	The status during which female mammals carry their developing young (EMBRYOS or FETUSES) in utero before birth, beginning from FERTILIZATION to BIRTH.	Gestation,Pregnancies
D011650	Pulmonary Alveoli	Small polyhedral outpouchings along the walls of the alveolar sacs, alveolar ducts and terminal bronchioles through the walls of which gas exchange between alveolar air and pulmonary capillary blood takes place.	Alveoli, Pulmonary,Alveolus, Pulmonary,Pulmonary Alveolus
D001835	Body Weight	The mass or quantity of heaviness of an individual. It is expressed by units of pounds or kilograms.	Body Weights,Weight, Body,Weights, Body
D005260	Female		Females
D000375	Aging	The gradual irreversible changes in structure and function of an organism that occur as a result of the passage of time.	Senescence,Aging, Biological,Biological Aging
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia