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Pulmonary surfactant
Complex of phospholipids and proteins / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Pulmonary surfactant is a surface-active complex of phospholipids and proteins formed by type II alveolar cells.[1] The proteins and lipids that make up the surfactant have both hydrophilic and hydrophobic regions. By adsorbing to the air-water interface of alveoli, with hydrophilic head groups in the water and the hydrophobic tails facing towards the air, the main lipid component of surfactant, dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC), reduces surface tension.
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As a medication, pulmonary surfactant is on the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines, the most important medications needed in a basic health system.[2]