A 32-week-old male neonate born to a mother who did not receive antenatal corticosteroids presents with severe respiratory distress within 2 hours of birth. CXR shows a ground-glass reticulonodular pattern with air bronchograms and decreased lung volume. Amniotic fluid analysis reveals the parameter marked **D** in the diagram is 1.5. Which of the following best explains the pathophysiology of this infant's condition?