Vol 59, No 4 (2000)
Original article
Submitted: 2012-02-06
Published online: 2000-08-02
Prenatal development of coronary arteries in the rat: morphometric patterns
Anna Ratajska, Elżbieta Fiejka, Jolanta Siemińska
Folia Morphol 2000;59(4):297-306.
Vol 59, No 4 (2000)
ORIGINAL ARTICLES
Submitted: 2012-02-06
Published online: 2000-08-02
Abstract
The aim of this work was to address morphometric patterns of coronary artery (c.a.) development in the rat based on serial section analysis of hearts at different stages of prenatal development. Studies were performed on foetal hearts 15-21 days (ED) post-conception. Paraffin sections were stained with haematoxylin-eosin (H & E) and frozen sections were labelled with Griffonia simplicifolia I (GSI) lectin (endothelial cell marker). Coronary arteries™ luminal diameters were measured at different distances from the aortic roots and the main c.a. branch lengths were calculated from serial sections. All measured values were compared to heart length and to foetal stages. On ED15 precursors of c.a. were distinguished as tubes running on both sides of the outflow tract. Below the aortic valves the tubes had the largest diameter. Formation and development of c.a. proceeded by elongation of vascular tubes distally, ramification and formation of the media and the adventitia. During the prenatal period the c.a. length increased approximately 14-fold, while heart length increased about 4-fold, and crown-rump length about 2.5-fold. The lumen of the proximal part of c.a. increased 4-fold during ED18±21. An increase in c.a. length is the fastest compared to the heart growth, and crown-rump growth during the foetal life.
Abstract
The aim of this work was to address morphometric patterns of coronary artery (c.a.) development in the rat based on serial section analysis of hearts at different stages of prenatal development. Studies were performed on foetal hearts 15-21 days (ED) post-conception. Paraffin sections were stained with haematoxylin-eosin (H & E) and frozen sections were labelled with Griffonia simplicifolia I (GSI) lectin (endothelial cell marker). Coronary arteries™ luminal diameters were measured at different distances from the aortic roots and the main c.a. branch lengths were calculated from serial sections. All measured values were compared to heart length and to foetal stages. On ED15 precursors of c.a. were distinguished as tubes running on both sides of the outflow tract. Below the aortic valves the tubes had the largest diameter. Formation and development of c.a. proceeded by elongation of vascular tubes distally, ramification and formation of the media and the adventitia. During the prenatal period the c.a. length increased approximately 14-fold, while heart length increased about 4-fold, and crown-rump length about 2.5-fold. The lumen of the proximal part of c.a. increased 4-fold during ED18±21. An increase in c.a. length is the fastest compared to the heart growth, and crown-rump growth during the foetal life.
Keywords
coronary artery development; angiogenesis; coronary artery; rat; embryonic heart; morphometry
Title
Prenatal development of coronary arteries in the rat: morphometric patterns
Journal
Folia Morphologica
Issue
Vol 59, No 4 (2000)
Article type
Original article
Pages
297-306
Published online
2000-08-02
Page views
567
Article views/downloads
1168
Bibliographic record
Folia Morphol 2000;59(4):297-306.
Keywords
coronary artery development
angiogenesis
coronary artery
rat
embryonic heart
morphometry
Authors
Anna Ratajska
Elżbieta Fiejka
Jolanta Siemińska