[A quantitative analysis of regional features in the structure of aortal endothelial cells in short-term...

The results of quantitative analysis of regional differences in the structure of thoracic aorta endotheliocytes in normal and hypertensive rats are presented. Scanning electron microscopy and semiautomatic image analyser were employed in studying the cellular structure in three regions of aorta endothelial layer: dorsal and ventral surfaces and region of the intercostal arterial ostia. The data obtained show that in cases of a short-duration hypertension the most pronounced are the alterations in endotheliocytes of the dorsal surface. Thus, the results confirm the heterogeneity of the aortic endothelium under normal conditions and demonstrate that differences in overlapping of neighbouring endotheliocytes is the cause of the observed alterations in cases of hypertension.