Pulmonary surfactant stabilizes alveoli but, by maintaining patency of peripheral conducting airways, will also lower resistance to airflow. A small quantity of a surfactant suspension (3 mg/ml) formed a blocking liquid column in a narrow section of a glass capillary. Pressure was raised on one side of that column, whereby it was forced to move out of the narrow section, and it did not return but left the capillary open for a free airflow. The surfactant capability to maintain free airflow was lost with the addition of albumin (> 10 mg/ml) or fibrinogen (> 0.5 mg/ml). Surfactant function was seriously affected by hydrolysis with phospholipase C but not with phospholipase A2. With a small quantity of albumin added (5 mg/ml), the ability to maintain openness was seriously affected at temperatures below 25 degrees C. An inflammatory reaction due to atopy, infection, or inhalation of irritating gases characterizes a variety of airway diseases, including asthma. If the in vitro studies can be transferred to in vivo conditions, surfactant dysfunction might contribute to certain types of airway disease.