Gap junctional vesicles in the neointimal smooth muscle cells of balloon injured carotid artery.
After balloon injury of the carotid artery in the rat, gap junctional vesicles were frequently detected in neointimal smooth muscle cells. They represent spherical structures confined by pentalamellar membrane containing a fine filamentous and granular material inside. Since gap junctional vesicles are not typical for the medial smooth muscle cells their occurrence in the intimal cells may be related to their secretory function and/or proliferative capacity.
Vankova
M
M
Institute of Medicine, Department of Anatomy and Histology, Varna, Bulgaria.
Grünwald
J
J
D000818:Animals; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D002404:Catheterization / Q000009:adverse effects; D007365:Intercellular Junctions / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D051381:Rats; D011918:Rats, Inbred SHR; D011921:Rats, Inbred WKY; D014617:Vacuoles / Q000648:ultrastructure