Histological investigation of aortic wall in experimental sclerosis of rabbits

Rabbit aortic changes were investigated after different sclerogenic diets. A subintimal chondroitin sulfate layer was characterized by toluidine blue metachromatic staining at pH 1--3, CEC value expressed in MgCl2 concentration: 0.4M, hyaluronidase sensitivity. This layer becomes disorganized during plaque formation and partly disaappears. A long-lasting sclerogenic diet, as well as a diet containing several sclerogenic factors, produced an increase of frequency and extension of the media necrosis, calcification, and chondroid metaplasia of the aortic wall. In these lesions, an increase of mucopolysaccharide secretion of modified smooth muscle cells was observed.