Ovine plasma dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine does not predict decompression bubbling.

•Active hydrophobic spots (AHS), composed of DPPC, produced decompression bubbles.•DPPC leaks from the lung into the plasma, and settles on endothelial membranes.•Either of these two processes could be the decompression illness risk-limiting factor.•Bubbling variability between sheep was not related to leakage of DPPC from the lung.•Alternate hydrophobic/hydrophilic layering of DPPC may result in two kinds of AHS.