Pulmonary surfactant and COVID-19: A new synthesis

Abstract

For a long time, physical, colloid and surface chemistry have not intersected with physiology and cell biology as much as we might have hoped. The reasons are starting to become clear. The discipline of physical chemistry suffered from serious unrecognised omissions that rendered it ineffective. These foundational defects included omission of specific ion molecular forces and hydration effects. The discipline lacked a predictive theory of self-assembly of lipids and proteins. Worse, theory omitted any role for dissolved gases, O₂, N₂, CO₂, and their existence as stable nanobubbles above physiological salt concentration. Recent developments have gone some way to explaining the foam-like lung surfactant structures and function. It delivers O₂/N₂ as nanobubbles, and efflux of CO₂, and H₂O nanobubbles at the alveolar surface. Knowledge of pulmonary surfactant structure allows an explanation of the mechanism of corona virus entry, and differences in infectivity of different variants. CO₂ nanobubbles, resulting from metabolism passing through the molecular frit provided by the glycocalyx of venous tissue, forms the previously unexplained foam which is the endothelial surface layer. CO₂ nanobubbles turn out to be lethal to viruses, providing a plausible explanation for the origin of 'Long COVID'. Circulating nanobubbles, stable above physiological 0.17 M salt drive various enzyme-like activities and chemical reactions. Awareness of the microstructure of Pulmonary Surfactant and that nanobubbles of (O₂/N₂) and CO₂ are integral to respiratory and circulatory physiology provides new insights to the COVID-19 and other pathogen activity.