[Ultrastructural analysis of aortic endothelium after the host's death]

The changes of the endothelium of abdominal and thoracic aorta of rats and man (71 Wistar rats and 4 humans) during different periods after the death of the organism were analysed by means of scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Soon after death of the organism endotheliocytes are shortened and the cytoskeleton is structuralized. The changes result from hypoxia and the reaction develops within 60 minutes after death. Aortic endothelium is heteromorphic in its sensitivity to hypoxia. In the segments with high hemodynamic loads to the vessel wall the injury of endothelium develops more rapidly. The conversion from reversible to irreversible changes includes certain stages. In spite of different structure of rat and human aortic wall the stages of the endothelial injury after death and the time of beginning of irreversible injury are similar.