What condition may cause alveoli to collapse due to its effects?

The condition that may cause alveoli to collapse due to its effects is surface tension. Surfactant, which is a substance produced by the cells in the alveoli, plays a critical role in reducing surface tension at the air-liquid interface within the alveoli. When surface tension is high, it can lead to increased effort required to expand the lungs during inhalation, and in severe cases, this can result in the collapse of alveoli, a condition known as atelectasis.

In normal physiology, surfactant keeps surface tension low, which helps to stabilize the alveoli and maintain their structure even at low lung volumes. If surface tension increases due to a lack of or dysfunctional surfactant, the alveoli are more prone to collapse, as they cannot counteract the compressive forces acting upon them. Conditions such as neonatal respiratory distress syndrome, often seen in premature infants with inadequate surfactant production, illustrate this critical relationship between surface tension and alveolar stability.