Surfactant accelerated by

(Glucocorticoids) (657-Ganong 22nd) (442-A.K. Jain 3rd) (598-Ganong 23rd)* Maturation of surfactant in the lungs is accelerated by glucocorticoid hormones. Fetal and maternal cortisol increases near term and the lungs are rich in glucocorticoid receptors* Nomally after birth, the infant makes several strong inspiratory movements and the lung expand. Surfactant keeps them from collapsing again. But due to deficiency of surfactant in this disease, surface tension in the lungs of these infants is very high, and there are many areas in which alveoli are collapsed (At electasis) also pulmonary oedema occurs and infants dies of pulmonary insufficiency. Infants with RDS show low thyroid hormone and cortisol levels in their plasma.