A stereological analysis of capillaries in normal and hypertrophic muscle

A realistic model of the distribution of the partially orientated capillaries in skeletal muscles has been introduced for stereological analyses. Distributional parameters not previously estimated for capillary networks in muscles have been quantified. These include the lengths of capillary per unit volume of tissue ((L(v)) and a dimensionless index of orientation (omega). The present study demonstrates that surgical techniques for inducing skeletal muscle hypertrophy can be an effective stimulus for the proliferation of additional capillaries. In the hypertrophic muscles studied the capillaries become more highly orientated. This suggests that the growth of new capillaries occurs preferentially along the long axis of the muscle.