[The regional structural-metabolic characteristics of the vascular endothelium]

The authors studied structural and metabolic features of endothelium of greater vessels (aorta and vena cava posterior) of full-grown rabbits, making use of silver impregnation, transmission electronic microscopy and electronic-histochemical tests for non-compensated negative charges of glycocalyx, oxidoreductase, enzyms determining responsiveness of endotheliocytes in receptor-mediated influences (adenilcyclase and phosphodiesterase). Significant difference was established in respect of the average area of the endothelial stratum elements and total length of intercellular bounderies in the aorta zones with different permeability to Evans blue, as well as of the above measures for the studied arterial and venous portions of the vascular system; some of the regional features of glycocalix and endotheliocyte metabolism were disclosed.