The electron microscopic morphology of the common carotid artery in rats

The common carotid arteries of normal adult rats were investigated electron-microscopically after tannic acid fixation. This fixation technique yields a better demonstrability of the structures of the connective tissue, the basal laminae and the surface coat of the cell membrane. The common carotid artery represents a vessel of the elastic type. The intima consists of an endothelium and a narrow gap of connective tissue (0.1-1 micron) which contains single collagenous fibrils and small elastic structures. This space is only occasionally as wide as 3 microns, especially beneath gaps of the internal elastic membrane. In these areas, single cells and structures of densely packed filaments are additionally observed which can neither be attributed to collagenous fibrils nor to elastic fibres. The intima is demarcated from the outside by an internal elastic membrane (1 micron) which shows a number of gaps. The media exhibits 3 to 4 elastic membranes without gaps. Smooth muscle cells of the contractile type stretch in an oblique direction between these membranes, i.e. they are not arranged in a circular or spiral manner. Most of their process-rich ends are inserted directly into the elastic material and not via a basal lamina. Processes from these smooth muscle cells, collagenous fibrils and elastic fibres are seen in the intercellular spaces. The muscle cells are occasionally interlinked by gap junctions. The basal lamina does not surround the muscle cells continuously. The adventitia contains bundles of collagenous fibrils, fibrocytes, a few small vessels and nerves with a perineuronal envelope. Nerves could not be demonstrated in the media. The oblique course of the smooth muscle cells and the insertion into the elastic membranes indicate that these cells do not predominantly contribute to changes in the width of the lumen but also serve the stabilisation and resetting of the elastic membranes. Contraction is probably induced by an opening of stretch-dependent Ca2+ channels. Due to the interlinkage with gap junctions, the muscle cells of one layer respond as a functional unit. Our findings provide a morphological basis for elucidating commonly encountered changes, such as smooth muscle migration through a normally interrupted inner elastic lamina.