Relationship between aortic endothelial cell morphology and atherosclerosis in rabbits

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Biology
• Atherosclerosis Research
• Endothelial Cell Biology

Background:

• Cholesterol-induced lesions in rabbit aortas show early involvement near branch sites.
• Regional differences in aortic susceptibility to atherosclerosis are observed.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between endothelial cell morphology and regional differences in atherosclerosis susceptibility.
• To compare endothelial cell morphology distal to aortic ostia versus away from ostia.

Main Methods:

• Examined en face morphology of the intimal surface of normal rabbit aortas.
• Created vascular casts of silver-stained aortas.
• Utilized Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and computer analysis of cell outlines to calculate orientation, area, and positional indices.

Main Results:

• Significant differences in endothelial cell morphology were found between regions near branch sites and those away from them.
• Variations in cell morphology were also observed between different aortic branch sites.
• No definitive relationship was established between endothelial cell morphology and atherogenesis in this model.

Conclusions:

• Endothelial cell morphology exhibits regional variations in the rabbit aorta.
• The complex variations in morphology did not correlate conclusively with atherogenesis in the absence of cholesterol feeding.