Alveolarisation
Pronunciation: al-vee-oh-lah-rih-ZAY-shun
The developmental process by which saccules in the immature lung are subdivided into true alveoli, occurring primarily from 36 weeks' gestation through early childhood.
Full Definition
Alveolarisation (British spelling; American: alveolarization) is the final and most protracted stage of lung development, during which secondary septa subdivide primitive saccules into definitive alveoli, vastly increasing the gas-exchange surface area. In premature infants, arrested or disordered alveolarisation is the principal histological substrate of new bronchopulmonary dysplasia, characterised by fewer and larger alveoli rather than the fibrosis and inflammation seen in classic BPD. Pathologists assessing infant lung tissue must interpret alveolar number and complexity against gestational- and postnatal-age expectations. Editors working in this field should be consistent in using the '-isation'/'-ization' spelling according to house style and should not conflate alveolarisation with alveolar growth, which is a distinct measurement concept.
Usage
Usage note: British spelling is 'alveolarisation'; American spelling is 'alveolarization.' Apply consistently per house style; do not mix spellings within a single document.
In Context
- "Histology confirmed impaired alveolarisation, with enlarged simplified airspaces consistent with new-BPD morphology." — Infant lung pathology report
- "The author alternated between 'alveolarisation' and 'alveolarization'; the editor standardised to house style throughout." — Journal article copyedit