ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the effects of injury induced in the lung by nutritional alterations. The composition of the diet and the age and species of the animal will determine the effects of nutritional interventions on lung structure and function. The chapter presents the effects of nutritional impairment on lung architecture with lack of growth or emphysema as the endpoints. It also presents the effects of alterations of specific nutrients, such as amino acids, ions, or fatty acids, using the impairment of lung function or structure as endpoints. Many investigators have studied the effects of nutritional restriction on lung architecture, using moderate to severe starvation as the means to generate these effects. The model most commonly used to study the effects of nutritional restriction is the moderate to severe calorie-restricted adult rodent, primarily the hamster and the rat. The chapter discusses deficiencies in several nutrients, such as ascorbic acid, copper, pyridoxine, protein, and lysine.
