Factors inducing codistribution of marginal actin fibers and fibronectin in rat aortic endothelial cells

Rat endothelial cells have a unique arrangement of actin fibers running with subendothelial fibronectin along the cell margins. The present study was conducted to identify the factors that are associated with codistribution of these actin fibers and fibronectin in fetal rat aortic endothelial cells, mainly using rheological techniques. Fluorescence histochemistry revealed that the codistribution pattern was established between gestational days 14 and 15. The endothelial cells changed from polygonal to spindle shaped during this gestational period. Although the aortic length remained almost unchanged during this period of gestation, both the diameter and expansion ratio of the aorta increased, by 9 and 10%, respectively. On the other hand, the wall shear rate increased rapidly during gestational days 13-16. These results indicate that the codistribution of actin fibers and subendothelial fibronectin along the margins of endothelial cells in fetal rat aorta occurs in association with a rise in stretch and shear stress and that the endothelial cells may require this change to maintain structural integrity.