The effects of changing lung volume (VL) on collateral resistance (Rcoll) and total airways resistance (Raw) were compared in six young volunteers. At functional residual capacity (FRC) = 55% total lung capacity (TLC), mean Rcoll was 4,664 +/- 1,518 (SE) cmH2O/(l/s) and mean Raw was 1.57 +/- 0.11 (SE) cmH2O/l/s). When VL increased to 80% TLC, Rcoll decreased by 63.3 +/- 7.8%, and Raw decreased by 50.3 +/- 4.2 (SE) %. The decrease in Rcoll with increasing lung volume was not statistically different from that of Raw (P less than 0.05). If the airways obstructed for measurements of Rcoll served between 2 and 5% of the lungs, then Rcoll was approximately 50 times as great as the resistance to flow through airways serving the same volume of lung at FRC. The relationship did not change significantly when VL increased by 25% TLC. If changes in Raw reflect changes in airways supplying sublobar portions of lung, these results indicate that there is no tendency for the redistribution of ventilation through airways and collateral pathways with changes in VL in young subjects.