[Immunohistochemical and ultrastructural study of aortic lesions in fat-fed quails].
A total of 13 forty-day-old male Japanese quails had free access to a atherogenic diet containing 15% corn oil and 2% cholesterol or commercial basal diet for 3 months. Birds fed basal diet showed no significant intimal lesions. These birds had two types of cells, i.e. smooth muscle cell and fibroblast-like cell, in the tunica media of the ascending aorta. While fat-fed birds showed marked lipid-rich intimal lesions in the ascending aorta but not in the abdominal aorta. Some macrophage-derived foam cells, which were stained for lysozyme and OKM1, were demonstrated in the superficial portion of the thickened intima. The majority of the cells in the lipid-rich thickened intima showed ultrastructural character of fibroblast-like cells with or without lipid droplets. Alpha-1-antichymotrypsin was positive for fibroblast-like cells in the thickened intima but not for those in the tunica media of the ascending aorta. These results suggest that metaplasia of the medial fibroblast-like cells is responsible for the development of atherosclerosis in the quail.
Toda
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Department of Clinical Laboratory, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa, Japan.
D000818:Animals; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000032:analysis; D001011:Aorta / Q000032:analysis / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D001018:Aortic Diseases / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D003370:Coturnix; D004036:Diet, Atherogenic; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000032:analysis / Q000473:pathology; D005487:Foam Cells / Q000032:analysis / Q000473:pathology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D009113:Muramidase / Q000032:analysis; D000514:alpha 1-Antichymotrypsin / Q000032:analysis
D000954:Antigens, Surface; D000514:alpha 1-Antichymotrypsin; D009113:Muramidase