Scanning electron microscopy of pulmonary vascular endothelium in rats with hypoxia-induced hypertension

Scanning electron microscopy was used to study the endothelial surface of the pulmonary trunk, artery, and vein in normobaric control rats as well as in rats exposed to hypobaric hypoxia for 7 and 21 days. The individual endothelial cells of the normobaric pulmonary trunk and hilar artery were flat and slightly elongated with elevated nuclear regions, and those of the intermediate-sized artery were more elongated and had more microvilli than the large arteries studied. Their endothelial cell boundaries were outlined by beaded cytoplasmic projections. The surfaces of the normobaric hilar and intermediate-sized veins were smooth and demonstrated numerous longitudinal streaks. These venous endothelial cells were elongated and their cell boundaries were outlined by low discontinuous marginal folds. Exposure to hypobaric hypoxia caused the following changes on the arterial surface: elevation of the endothelial cells; formation of microvilli-rich cell clusters; formation of hollow defects; and the attachment of leukocytes. Hypobaric hypoxia also caused the disappearance of the longitudinal streaks and the occurrence of microvilli-rich cells in the hilar veins. The endothelial surface modifications in the hypobaric rats could be related to thickening of the endothelium, intimal edema, increased intimal connective tissue, luminal invasion of leukocytes, and increased endothelial cell proliferation, known to occur in systemic arteries of hypertensive animals.