Surfactant Protein A

Antigen Background

Pulmonary surfactant plays a critical role in maintaining the structural integrity of the respiratory epithelium by reducing surface tension during expiration. It is a lipoprotein complex which is synthesized and secreted into the alveoli of the lung by type II pneumocytes. Lung surfactant protein-A (SP-A) is a major phospholipid-associated glycoprotein in surfactant and is a member of the C-type lectin superfamily that also inhibits lipid secretion and enhances the uptake of phospholipid by alveolar type II cells. Levels of SP-A in amniotic fluid are reported to reflect the degree of fetal lung maturity and inadequate levels of surfactant at birth, a frequent occurrence in premature infants, results in respiratory failure.

Disclaimer

Surfactant Protein A is recommended for the detection of specific antigens of interest in normal and neoplastic tissues, as an adjunct to conventional histopathology using non-immunologic histochemical stains.