Lamellar Bodies

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Lamellar bodies (LBs) are specialized organelles that store lipids and secrete materials. They are found in various cell types, including: Lung alveoli, Skin keratinocytes, Amniotic fluid.

LBs are also known as:

• Lamellar granules
• Membrane-coating granules (MCGs)
• Keratinosomes
• Odland bodies

LBs in the lungs produce, accumulate, and secrete surfactant, which is a mixture of lipids and proteins. This surfactant is made up of pulmonary surfactant, which is a complex of lipids and proteins with surface active properties.

LBs in the skin play a role in permeability barrier homeostasis. They secrete their contents, which include lipids and hydrolases.

Amniotic fluid lamellar body counts (LBC) above 50,000/mcL are predictive of fetal lung maturity.

As skin barrier pH rises above 5.7 lamellar body secretion is inhibited. Hachem et al 2010