After 35 Weeks of Gestation, a 5-1b 5-Oz Girl Is

After 35 weeks of gestation, a 5-1b 5-oz girl is born to a 30-year-old gravid 2, para 2 (G2P2) woman. The infant has rapid and labored breathing, which is viewed as transient tachypnea of the newborn. The infant's 1- and 5-min APGAR scores are 8 and 9, respectively. She has respiratory distress, with a normal pulse and no heart murmurs. She is transported to the neonatal intensive care unit with worsening tachypnea. In this infant which of the following is likely to be involved?

A) Failure of the type I pneumocytes to form complete blood-air barriers
B) Absence of elastic fibers from the bronchiolar walls and interalveolar septa
C) Failure of type II pneumocytes to complete differentiation and become fully functional
D) Failure of type II pneumocyte progenitors to proliferate adequately during gestation
E) Inadequate development of the parietal and visceral pleura