Table 2.

Lung structural data

Animal	Vl, ml	VV(s,L), ml·ml−1	V(c), ml	S(a), cm2	V(c)/S(a), ml·m−2	τt, μm	τhb, μm	DlO2*
Mole rats	7.50 ± 0.33	0.210 ± 0.0074	0.901 ± 143	6406 ± 677	1.483 ± 0.242	1.040 ± 0.083	0.630 ± 0.042	0.026 ± 0.002†
	(7.16–8.43)	(0.194–0.223)	(0.654–1.287)	(4932–8099)	(0.829–1.979)	(0.875–1.244)	(0.548–0.738)	(0.021–0.032)
White rats	7.01 ± 0.18	0.194 ± 0.0124	0.719 ± 0.068	5378 ± 165	1.371 ± 0.125	1.228 ± 0.079	0.770 ± 0.068	0.018 ± 0.001
	(6.72–7.46)	(0.162–0.221)	(0.569–0.857)	(5044–5835)	(1.068–1.666)	(1.077–1.454)	(0.666–0.96)	(0.016–0.021)

Values indicate means ± SEM (n = 4 animals per group). Numbers in parentheses indicate range of data points. Data were collected as given in Materials and Methods. V_L, lung volume; V_V(s,L), septum volume per lung volume; Vc, volume of capillaries per lung; Sa, alveolar surface area per lung; Vc/Sa, capillary loading; τ_t, arithmetic mean tissue thickness; τ_hb, harmonic mean tissue thickness between alveolar surface and erythrocytes; and Dl_O2, pulmonary oxygen diffusing capacity. 

^*Expressed in ml of O₂ per sec per mmHg. 

^†Significantly different from white rat (P < 0.05).