Segmental barrier properties of the pulmonary microvascular bed.

We determined liquid flux across single pulmonary microvessels of dog, ferret, and rat by our split-drop technique (J. Appl. Physiol. 64: 2562-2567, 1988). Data are reported from 58 lungs excised under halothane or pentobarbital sodium anesthesia and then blood perfused. We stopped blood flow at known vascular pressures and then micropunctured microvessels to inject oil, which we split with albumin solution. From measurements of vessel diameter and split oil drop length, we calculated Jv, the liquid transport rate per unit surface area [x 10(-6) ml/(cm2.s)]. At constant vascular pressure, Jv was not significantly different after different periods of oil-endothelium contact and at different sites within a single vessel. From measurements of Jv at different vascular pressures, we determined Lp, the hydraulic conductivity [x 10(-7) ml/(cm2.s.cmH2O)], and Pzf, the zero filtration pressure. From determinations of Pzf at different albumin concentrations, we quantified sigma alb, the albumin reflection coefficient. Lp and Pzf did not differ among venules of the same lung. However, in venules, Lp was 40% higher and sigma alb 25% lower than in arterioles (P less than 0.01). We conclude that 1) micropuncture procedures incidental to our split-drop technique do not progressively deteriorate the experimental microvessel and 2) in lung, permeability is higher in venules than in arterioles.