What can happen with newborn infant when she/he suffers from a lack of surfactant .
An infant is a new born baby. For the newborns to respire surfactant is very important. With the presence of the surfactant, it becomes easier for the newborns to respire.
Surfactant is a substance present in the lungs that helps the alveoli to remain open and keeps the lungs expanded. It is foamy in nature. Surfactant is a mixture of phospholipids and proteins meaning it is made up of lipoprotein. It basically reduces the surface tension of each alveoli (singular alveolus) at the air liquid interface.
With the presence of surfactant it becomes easier for the newborns to breathe. Their lungs can exchange the gases easily if surfactant is present. The surfactant in the lungs fills it with the air thereby preventing the deflating of air sacs.
If the surfactant is present then by reducing the surface tension it helps the lungs to expand and fill more air in it so the breathing becomes easier and newborn infant body will not have to do more work in breathing.
If surfactant is not present in the lungs then lungs may collapse and it will be difficult for the newborn infants to breathe.
Step by step
Solved in 2 steps
