Acta Anatomica Sinica

AAS ›› 2013, Vol. 44 ›› Issue (4 ): 541-545.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.0529-1356.2013.04.018

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Morphological features of endothelial cells of arteries and cardiac valve in the pig

GAO Hong-quan1 LI Xue-min2 WU Cai-qin3 GUAN Guo-ping4 WANG Fu-jun4 WANG Lu4 WANG Ke-qiang5 ZHANG Hong-qi 2*   

  1. 1. Department of Anatomy, Xiamen Medical College, Xiamen 361008, China;2. Department of Anatomy, Histlogy & Embryology, Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, Shanghai 200032， China; 3. Nursing College of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203， China; 4．Key Laboratory of Textile Sciences and Technology, Ministry of Education,Donghua University, Shanghai 201620， China;
      5. Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Zhongshan Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai 200032， China
  • Received:2012-07-30 Revised:2012-11-24 Online:2013-08-06 Published:2013-09-04

Abstract:

Objective To investigate the morphological feature of endothelial cells of large and middle-sized arteries in the pig and provide basic data for experimental and clinical research of blood vessels. Methods Animals were perfused with heparin
physiological saline and fixed with perfusion of formaldehyde at the physiological pressure. The ascending aorta,arotic arch, descending aorta, aortic valve, common carotid artery,internal thoracic artery, coronary arteries and their anterior and posterior
descending branches were collected and observed under a scanning electron microscope. Results Endothelial cells were fusiform and the nuclei slightly extruded to the lumen. The long axis of the cells was consistent with the direction of the blood stream
in the straight part of large and middle-sized arteries.In curved part of large artery and aortic valve, endothelial cells were ovary and rich in microvilli.There were regenerating endothelial cells in the posterior descending branch of the right coronary
artery. In the common carotid artery,internal thoracic artery and coronary arteries,a few cells with long processes were seen, their cell bodies appeared as round, ovary, triangular or irregular shape, the number of processes varied from two to six, and
some processes were bifurcated. Conclusion The size,shape and arrangement of endothelial cells and the length and density of microvilli are different at different locations. Shear stress may be one of major causes leading to these difference.

Key words: Endothelial cell, Morphology, Long process cell, Scanning electron microscopy, Pig