title: Capillary and mitochondrial unit in muscles of a large lizard.
abstract: We asked whether capillaries and mitochondria form a structural and functional unit in the musculature of the Cuban iguana (Cyclura nubila) similar to that found in mammals. We found a significant correlation between capillary length density [Jv(c, f)] and mitochondrial volume density [Vv(mt, f)] of the musculature with a slope that revealed that on average 3.5 km of capillaries were associated with each milliliter of mitochondria (vs. approximately 11 km/ml in mammals). These capillaries had a diameter of 9 microns (vs. 4.5 microns in mammals), and the mitochondria had a surface density of the inner membranes of 25 m2/ml (vs. 30-45 m2/ml in mammals). These dimensions resulted in ratios of capillary to mitochondrial volume (0.22 ml/ml) and capillary wall to mitochondrial membrane surface area (39 cm2/m2) that were similar in Cyclura to those found in mammals (approximately 0.18 ml/ml and 35-52 cm2/m2, respectively). Also in agreement with mammalian values were the average oxidative capacity of the mitochondria derived from maximum rate of O2 consumption (VO2max) during exercise at 37 degrees C and the inner mitochondrial membrane surface area [S(im)] of the musculature [VO2max/S(im) = 0.04 vs. 0.06-0.15 ml O2.m-2.min-1 in mammals]. These common structural and functional relationships support the notion that capillaries and mitochondria represent a similar fundamental unit in muscles of both Cyclura and mammals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, University of Berne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: K E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Conley
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Christian
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hoppeler
authors.forename: E R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Weibel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002196:Capillaries / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005260:Female; D007076:Iguanas / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D008116:Lizards / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D008931:Mitochondria, Muscle / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009132:Muscles / Q000502:physiology / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D005082:Physical Exertion