Mortality and Histopathology of Germ-Free Rats and Mice Exposed To 100% Oxygen.

Abstract

Summary Germ-free rats and mice tended to die sooner and within a narrower time span than conventional animals on exposure to 100% O₂, suggesting that chronic respiratory conditions may increase resistance to O₂ toxicity. Lung pathology of germ-free animals dying in O₂ appeared much like that of chronic respiratory infection, indicating that inflammatory cell infiltration of the alveolar wall can occur in animals presumed free of disease.