Observed changes consist mainly of blebbing of capillary endothelium and alveolar epithelium, which is quite possibly indicative of cellular edema; also, there can be observed highly-convoluted basement membrane, alveolar debris, and increased numbers of platelets

Harrison, G. A.

Solomon, J. D.

English

NASA Technical Reports Server

April 1975	 B75-10061 
S	 NASA TECH BRIEF 
Ames Research Center 	
A A 
NASA Tech Briefs announce new technology derived from the U.S. space program. They are issued to encourage 
commercial application. Tech Briefs are available on a subscription basis from the National Technical Information 
Service, Springfield, Virginia 22151. Requests for individual copies or questions relating to the Tech Brief program may 
be directed to the Technology Utilization Office, NASA, Code KT, Washington, D.C. 20546. 
Ultrastructural Alteration of Mouse Lung by Prolonged
Exposure to Mixtures of Helium and Oxygen 
.
Helium is the frequent diluent for oxygen in closed-
cycle breathing atmospheres (e.g., deep-sea diving, 
space cabins) because it is more readily released from 
the blood than nitrogen or other inert gases during 
rapid decompression and because it does not have the 
narcotizing effect of the higher-molecular-weight 
gases. Heretofore, the results of biochemical, meta-
bolic, and physiological studies have indicated that 
helium diluent has little effect on small mammals; 
however, these studies usually have involved patho-
logical techniques which could not be expected to 
reveal small changes such as might be made evident 
by use of ultrastructural techniques. 
In a recent study, mice raised in a normal oxygen-
nitrogen atmosphere have been used as controls for 
comparison with mice that were born and raised in 
a normal terrestrial atmosphere but exposed to a 
helium—oxygen atmosphere (4:1) and those born and 
raised in the helium—oxygen atmosphere but never 
exposed to a normal atmosphere. At appropriate in-
tervals of time, animals from the various groups 
were sacrificed and the lungs removed, cut into tiny 
cubes, and embedded so that micro-sections could be 
viewed with an electron microscope. 
It was concluded that the lungs of mice exposed to 
a helium—oxygen environment for long periods of
time exhibit some ultrastructural changes. Observed 
changes consist mainly of blebbing of the capillary 
endothelium and the alveolar epithelium, which is 
quite possibly indicative of cellular edema; also, there 
can be observed a highly-convoluted basement mem-
brane, alveolar debris, and increased numbers of 
platelets. The findings are considered significant in 
view of published reports which suggest that helium-
oxygen mixtures do not affect lungs. 
Note: 
Requests for further information may be directed 
to:
Technology Utilization Officer 
Ames Research Center 
Moffett Field, California 94035 
Reference: TSP 75-10061 
Source: Gladys A. Harrison
Ames Research Center
with Janis D. Solomon of
Linde Division, Union Carbide Corp. 
under contract to
Ames Research Center 
(ARC-10929) 
Category 05 
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Ultrastructural alteration of mouse lung by prolonged exposure to mixtures of helium and oxygen

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