ISOLATION OF TYPE-II EPITHELIAL-CELLS FROM RABBIT FETAL LUNGS BY ADHERENCE ON AN IGG-COATED SURFACE

The lung is comprised of about 40 different cell types, of which only 15% are type II cells. These are the major, if not the sole, source of synthesis and secretion of lung surfactant. To date a large number of methods have been described for the isolation of pure populations of type II cells using a wide variety of techniques, but most of these ha ve employed differential centrifugation methods and have used adult ro dents. The present study reports the isolation of type II cells from f etal rabbit lungs by the immunoglobin G plating method. Pure populatio ns of fetal type II cells in high yield and with good viability were o btained by the procedure for the first time from rabbit fetal tissue.