What are surfactants in lungs?
Answers
Answer:
Surfactants are the substances which reduce the frictional force between two layers. Lung is covered by two layers - Visceral and parietal layer. Small space is present in between these two layers. As the lungs undergo continuous expansion and relaxation, friction force generated may cause damage to the tissue. So, surfactants like lecithin are present, which reduce frictional force between the two layers. They also protect the lungs from mechanical damage and shocks.
Surfactant is an agent that decreases the surface tension between two media. The surface tension between gaseous-aqueous interphase in the lungs is decreased by the presence of a thin layer of fluid known as pulmonary surfactant. The pulmonary surfactant is produced by the alveolar type-II (AT-II) cells of the lungs.
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