Increased myocardial capillary density in dogs with experimental emphysema.
In the hearts of control beagle dogs, capillary density in the right ventricle was found to be similar to that of the subendocardium of the left ventricle but lower than that of the subepicardium of the left ventricle. In emphysematous animals, 6 months after the exposure to papain (the emphysema-inducing agent), capillary density in the right ventricle and in the subendocardium of the left ventricle increased significantly, reaching values similar to that of the subepicardium of the left ventricle, which remained constant. These morphologic changes are considered to be an adaptation to a prolonged condition of increased myocardial oxygen demand and/or may represent an early stage of a developing cardiac hypertrophy.
D000818:Animals; D002196:Capillaries / Q000473:pathology; D006332:Cardiomegaly; D003331:Coronary Vessels / Q000473:pathology*; D004285:Dogs; D004646:Emphysema / Q000473:pathology*; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000473:pathology; D008854:Microscopy, Electron