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Research article - Peer-reviewed, 2006

New synthetic surfactant - How and when?

Curstedt T, Johansson J

Abstract

Animal-derived surfactant preparations are very effective in the treatment of premature infants with respiratory distress syndrome but they are expensive to produce and supplies are limited. In order to widen the indications for surfactant treatment there is a need for synthetic preparations, which can be produced in large quantities and at a reasonable cost. However, development of clinically active synthetic surfactants has turned out to be more complicated than initially anticipated. The hydrophobic surfactant proteins, SP-B and SP-C, which are involved in the adsorption of surface-active lipids to the air-liquid interface of the alveoli and increase alveolar stability, are either too big to synthesize, structurally complex or unstable in pure form. A new generation of synthetic surfactants containing simplified phospholipid mixtures and small amounts of peptides replacing the hydrophobic proteins is currently under development and will in the near future be introduced into the market. However, more trials need to be performed before any conclusions can be drawn about the effectiveness of these synthetic surfactants in relation to natural animal-derived preparations. Copyright (c) 2006 S. Karger AG, Basel

Published in

Biology of the Neonate
2006, Volume: 89, number: 4, pages: 336-339
Publisher: KARGER

      SLU Authors

    • Johansson, Jan

      • Department of Molecular Biosciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

    UKÄ Subject classification

    Animal and Dairy Science
    Veterinary Science

    Publication identifier

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1159/000092871

    Permanent link to this page (URI)

    https://res.slu.se/id/publ/9836