Professor Sandra Orgeig

Excludes commercial-in-confidence projects.

Research outputs for the last seven years are shown below. Some long-standing staff members may have older outputs included. To see earlier years visit ORCID, ResearcherID or Scopus

Open access indicates that an output is open access.

Chapters

Journal Articles

Pulmonary Surfactant

Surfactant is a complex mixture of lipids and proteins produced by alveolar epithelial cells and secreted into the fluid lining of the lung, where it forms a film at the air-liquid interface. The surfactant film dynamically regulates interfacial surface tension with lung volume to prevent alveolar collapse and reduce the work of breathing. As this critical system develops late during gestation, prematurely-born babies are at risk of developing respiratory distress, a condition often successfully treated with a combination of positive pressure ventilation and/or artificial surfactants. Within the area of pulmonary surfactant, we are interested in environmental and genetic effects on the development of the system as well as on the effect of temperature on the biophysical function of the system.

Environmental effects on lung and surfactant development

We are interested in the development of the surfactant system prior to birth/hatching in a variety of animal models, demonstrating different birthing strategies. We are particularly interested in the differences in the timing of development between species that experience different selection pressures (e.g. hypoxia or variable temperatures). We also examine the interplay between genetics and the environment in shaping the development of the fetus and the outcome for the newborn/hatchling. We are also collaborating with the Early Origins of Adult Health Research Group to determine the effects of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) on surfactant maturation. Infants that are subjected to IUGR are small at birth and are at an increased risk of developing respiratory distress. We wish to establish the mechanisms and timing of surfactant maturation during late gestation in relation to environmental factors that lead to IUGR, using placentally restricted sheep and undernourished or hypoxia-exposed guinea pigs. We are also examining the effect of under- and overnourishment on the regulation of development of the surfactant system.

Lung and surfactant alterations in mucopolysaccharidosis type IIIA mice

This project represents a collaboration with the Mechanisms in Cell Biology and Diseases Research Group. We are investigating the mechanisms leading to respiratory disease in mucopolysaccharidosis type IIIA (MPS IIIA). We have recently described the presence of storage material in the lung of MPS IIIA mice and suggest that this may impair the cellular processing of pulmonary surfactant, which may affect the mechanical function of the lung as well as impair innate pulmonary immunity. In addition, we have for the first time observed lipid droplets and abnormal lamellar bodies, as well as altered lung structure with increased collagen deposition in lung parenchyma. We are continuing to investigate surfactant dysfunction in MPSIIIA mice from a biochemical, molecular, subcellular, structural and biophysical perspective.